Beauty In Itself
by Athena Of The Greeks
Summary: "I was not supposed to fall in love with you." Ariston said with a tender smile as he caressed my cheek. "Nothing goes as planned when love is involved." I told him and with that, he leaned in and captured my lips with his own, the kiss was half way between sweetness and passion. - Story has been rewritten!
1. Rewrite is coming!

**Author's Note: I have exciting news for you all! I have chosen that for the time being, I am going to post the rewrite of Beauty In Itself: Part One that was previously available only for sale. I have taken down the old chapters I had up here and will add them, putting them together as a whole story! Also, I will probably do a bit of rewriting on the second half of the book, since I know there are QUITE a few mistakes. I do truly hope you enjoy what I have written; you my dear readers, mean the world to me, and I ADORE hearing what you think!**

**Much Love,**

**Jasmine**


	2. Preface

**© 2013 by the author of this book, Jasmine Dubroff. The book author retains sole copyright and ownership to her writings in this book.**

**Author's Note: Here it is! For those of you who did not get to read what I had up, and even everyone who read the original version, I like to think this will be a treat to read the rewrite of this story! Of course it is already written, so with any luck it will not be very long before I have part one up for your reading pleasure.**

**As always, I would love to hear your thoughts!**

**Jasmine Dubroff.**

* * *

**Preface**

**"What makes a life worth living, is worth giving your life for."**  
**Jasmine Dubroff**

I looked up to him, trying to understand what was happening as Ariston rushed us to the exit. He opened the door and quickly brought us outside. He released me from his hold only to grasp my arms and look into my eyes.

"Stay here and whatever you do, do not come near me, or them." Ariston said, his eyes a different kind of intensity than they were a minute before.

He leaned down and kissed me once then in a movement so quick that my eyes could hardly make out more than a blur, he turned away from me and ran a hundred feet away, standing in the moonlit field where most students play soccer behind this dorm. Ariston's eyes were closed, in a flash two swords of a glowing metal appeared in his hands. The night grew darker as thunderclouds rolled in, hiding the light of the moon. The ground shook with the deep rumble of thunder that resounded throughout the field with a sound that could shatter eardrums with ease. Things lit up in brilliant flashes from the lightning so that every few seconds the field would be as bright as day.

"I have been waiting for you." Ariston said in a low, dangerous voice. I knew that he was not talking to me.

Ariston opened his eyes but they were different. His eyes were no longer the sky blue I know so well, they were white and glowing like the lightning itself. In his hands the two short swords shone as brightly as his eyes.

When the lightning flashed I saw shadows take form around Ariston. They were as tall as a man, with eyes that were somehow darker than they were, like black holes that promised to pull all light into them. Their mouths opened up twice as large as a humans could, their teeth like razors, like a piranha's teeth. Instead of hands, three claws made out of wisps of darkness grew from their arms, the claws looking as sharp as Ariston's glowing swords. All together they made a fearsome sight. There looked to be about twenty of them surrounding Ariston.

I feared for the man I love, seeing those dark creatures surrounding him, my heart pounded, but at the same time, I got the feeling that Ariston could handle himself.

"This is all you bring?" Ariston asked in a low voice. "I am insulted." The creatures screamed back at him, their voices like fingernails on a chalkboard.

A lightning bolt shot down from the dark clouds above and destroyed two of the creatures, their darkness dissipating before the light that engulfed them and with that, the fight began. Two attacked; Ariston fought them with ease. They screamed when his swords touched them. It looked like light was taking them over, seeping into their darkness through their wounds and spreading. _The only way to defeat darkness is with light,_ a voice whispered in my mind. My hands grew hotter as I watched the fight with wide eyes, it was all I could do not to rush over and fight.

A bolt of lightning came down then branched out into three different streams of light and destroyed three more creatures as Ariston fought two others off. Ariston continued to fight, he spun in a circle with his two swords held out, slicing more of the creatures with his swords of light while simultaneously blocking their attacks.

Ariston moved with amazing grace and even though I feared for him, I could not deny the beauty of this sight. His swords were an extension of his arms, moving with him as they were meant to.

There were still ten dark creatures left. Ariston pointed one of his swords at a creature that was charging him and a bolt of lightning shot down from the sky, went through Ariston and burst forth from his sword, destroying the creature. Then Ariston swung his right sword over his head to build up momentum before slicing the sword through the neck of one of the dark beings. It went right through and the creature disappeared, turning into nothing more than ordinary darkness.

I watched in amazement as Ariston fought off the rest of the beings. Not once did the creatures touch him. Lightning continued shooting from the sky and Ariston's swords did not cease their movements as he fought until every single one of those cold, dark beasts were vanquished. I could feel that none of the dark beings remained.

Ariston stood there and closed his eyes. The clouds dissipated and the moon shone brightly once again. Ariston's swords disappeared and when he opened his eyes, they had returned to sky blue.

Ariston looked at me for a moment then began walking towards me as I walked to him in a kind of daze. The earth was scorched where the lightning had hit. I was grateful to see that he was unharmed, not so much as a scratch on him. We stopped a few feet away from each other.

"You are the light." I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

"I fear I have not properly introduced myself." He said. "I am Ariston, son of Zeus."


	3. Chapter One: One Month Earlier

**Chapter 1**

** One Month Earlier**

**"All my life, my heart has yearned for a thing I cannot name."**

**Andre Breton**

My mother has always said that "For every end, there is a beginning," and somehow, on some level, I knew that my entire life was about to change in ways I never imagined possible. Nothing would or could ever be the same.

I do not know what would bring about this change, but I knew it would happen, and soon. I looked out on the rolling hills of Blueridge Stables, lit by the brilliant sunset. It was one of the most beautiful sunsets I have seen here in Maine. The sky was painted in brilliant shades of gold, peach and pink while the swirled clouds were purple.

After the last rays of light left the sky and the bright red sun hid behind the mountains, I stood and made my way downstairs to the grain room where breakfast for all thirty horses was already prepared, then out the door into the main aisle of the Stables. I looked up at the stars through the skylights set into in the thirty foot peaked roof as I walked on the flagstone floor towards the exit.

I looked back down to my surroundings, to stalls made of dark stained oak with iron bars that lined the walls, and the wall sconces that lit up the aisle perfectly. A few horses whinnied as I passed and I smiled to them. I glanced at the only empty stall in the Stables as I passed by; a new horse would fill it in the morning. The horse's name _**Vrontos**_ was already engraved onto a silver nameplate on the door. Vrontos, meaning 'Thunder' in Greek. I could not help but wonder what this new horse and his owner would be like.

Before I left the Stables through the large barn doors, I shut the lights off and the Stables went dark. The moon was bright enough that I did not need the lights to see. I took in a deep breath of the fresh air, then out of the corner of my eye, I saw the light of a cigarette. I sighed, this would not be the first time I found Nell smoking.

I walked over to where she sat on a bench by the side of the Stables, I could see her easily enough in the moonlight. In a dark way, she was beautiful. Her long black hair was pulled back with a hair band, showing off her beautiful sharp features and pale skin. Most think Nell is cold and uncaring, but I knew better, I knew that there was something hurting her, especially tonight.

"Those things will kill you, you know." I said to Nell when I stood before her.

"If only." Nell said wistfully before taking a long drag. She looked at me and rolled her pale blue eyes. She threw the cigarette down and stomped it out with her boot.

I sat down next to her on the wooden bench. _She has been talking to her father,_ I understood immediately. She is always in this kind of a dark mood after she speaks with him.

"Be grateful for everything you have Mera, not all of us lead such happy lives." Nell said bitterly.

"Things can change." I told her. "The future is not certain." She laughed once, darkly.

"My father has had my whole future planned out since before I was a day old." She said with disdain.

"You still have a choice." I said, Nell shook her head.

"Not in this Mera." She said, her face showing no emotion.

I wanted to ask her what was wrong, but I knew she would not tell me. She has always been a private person. Even though she trusts me more than anyone else, I do not even know what country her father lives in, or what happened to her mother.

I noticed Nell was wearing a new necklace. It was a pendant made out of a black stone carved in the shape of a dragon. It hung on a silver chain that shone brightly in the moonlight. Nell always wears something like that, a black stone carved into the shape of a dragon, as either a charm or earrings or a ring.

"I like your necklace, is that new?" I asked her. Nell picked it up in her hands and looked at it with disinterest.

"It is black jade, a gift from my father, '_for protection,'_ he says." Nell told me.

I met her father once; even though he seemed nice enough, there was something about the man that made me uneasy for a reason I did not know. It was in the way he looked at me, as if he knew something that I did not. There was a plan evident in his eyes, one that made me uneasy for a reason I could not explain.

"What did he do to make you hate him so much?" I asked her. Nell looked out on the dark landscape, her eyes coming to rest on the nearly full moon.

"You would not believe me if I told you." Nell said quietly.

"Try me." I said, hoping she would open up to me. If she did, then perhaps I could help her.

"Mera, I know what you are trying to do." Nell said, with no smile. "Don't. You cannot help me in this. We are not even supposed to be friends."

"Why not?" I asked her. She looked at me without an answer. There was a knowledge in her pale blue eyes, one that haunted her. She looked away, back to the glowing moon. We sat there for a few moments in silence. "My friends and I are going to The Morilana tonight. Why don't you and Hunter join us?" I offered, hoping that going out with her boyfriend would put her in a better mood. Hunter always puts her in a great mood; the only time she ever truly smiles is with him.

"I am going to break up with Hunter." Nell said, which shocked me more than I could say.

"I thought you liked him." I said, though I knew she felt something more powerful than 'like' for Hunter Smith.

"I did, more than I should have." She said. I could hear the sadness in her voice before she masked it. "My father found out and ordered me to end it. My father is a powerful man, not one to be crossed, least of all by his own daughter, as he reminded me. He said that if I cared for the boy at all, I would never see him again." She said.

"Why would he do that?" I asked her, appalled. _What kind of father would keep his daughter from someone who makes her that happy?_

"Because he has already chosen a husband for me." Nell said.

"A husband?" I asked in shock. "An arranged marriage in this day and age?"

"He is... old fashioned. I have been promised to the man since my birth." She said in a sneer. "My father treats me as if I am nothing more than some reward to be given away for loyalty." I could see how much this hurt her, it twisted within me to see my friend hurting and knowing I could do nothing about it.

"I am starting to understand why you hate him so much." I said to her, feeling my own upset. She nodded as she took a deep breath. "And the man he has chosen for you?" I asked her.

"He is far older than me and a brute. Not only do I _not _love him, I loathe that being." Nell sounded passive as she said this, but I could hear the pain she tried to hide.

Nell has never been one to show pain, not on her face, only in her eyes is her pain ever visible. But even more evident than that pain, was her hatred for her father. She said that he has never laid a hand on her in one way or another, but there was obviously something seriously wrong with that man.

"You should get away from your father. You are eighteen, he cannot force you to get married." I told her. "Call the police, call _someone_. There must be someone who can help you." I could see her thinking on that for a moment, then she shook her head.

"No, they cannot help." Nell said, she looked at me then. "I have accepted this, I leave tomorrow morning."

"If there is anything I can do to help, please tell me." I said to her. Nell nodded with a sad smile, her eyes watery.

"Thank you Mera. You have been a good friend to me, even though I do not deserve it." She said. "I wish you all the luck in the world, may the gods protect you well." She took a deep breath and looked back to the moon before speaking again. "For your own sake, forget me Mera." Nell begged. "Do not try to find me, or help me in anyway. Promise me you will not come after me, no matter what happens."

Once again that knowledge was within her eyes, as if she was trying to tell me something but was unwilling or unable to spell it out for me.

"Is that what you want?" I asked her.

"Yes, it is. You do not know my father. I would never forgive myself if he harmed the only friend I have ever had." She told me. "I will be okay." Nell added, though perhaps not as convincingly as she had planned it to be.

"I shall do as you ask." I said. It was not an easy promise to make. Nell hugged me, it was the first time she has ever done so.

Nell and I have been friends since my first month at Blueridge Prep. I was one of the few people that were kind to Nell. I would say hello to her everyday with a smile even though she said nothing in return. A few months later, some of the popular girls at school were making fun of me because I am here on a scholarship. It did not bother me, money has never meant much to me. The girls hated that they could not get a rise out of me and so they began creating rumors. A day later they found hundreds of spiders in their lockers. Even though the spiders were not poisonous, you could hear the girls' screams across campus. When I went to see what all the commotion was about, Nell was there, and somehow I knew that she had put the spiders in their lockers. The rumors were never heard again after that incident and Nell and I have been friends ever since.

Nell pulled back from our hug and I watched her walk off into the darkness. I knew it would be the last time I would see her for some time. In truth, I did not know if I would ever see her again.

I sat there deep in thought for a time. I wished there was some way I could help her, _but how can you help someone who does not want to be helped?_

I said a silent prayer for Nell, praying that help would come to her and that she would accept it. Or if not, that she would find some kind of happiness with the man that her father has chosen for her.

I walked to the parking lot and called my boyfriend Aaron to tell him I was ready. Ten minutes later I saw his halogen headlights coming down the long drive and I smiled. Aaron pulled up in his silver Lincoln Navigator SUV. I got in the passenger seat and looked at my boyfriend. At eighteen years old with his sandy hair, tan skin, sage green eyes and muscles, he was something to look at. Not to mention that he is the quarterback for Blueridge Prep's Football Team.

"Hey beautiful." Aaron greeted.

"Hello handsome." I said as I leaned over and kissed him. I sat back in my seat as he pulled away from Blueridge Stables.

"How was work?" Aaron asked.

"It was great, I have missed the girls." I told him, trying not to think of the friend I had just lost. "How was football?"

"It was great!" Aaron began describing some play excitedly and talked about the strategy for a few minutes. "Then boom! We tackled him and touch down!" Aaron exclaimed, I laughed.

"Sounds like a good play." I told him. I turned on the radio and let the night air blow across my face from the open window as we drove down the road.

It was not long after that when Aaron turned onto the long, oak lined, paved road that lead to my dorm. I smiled when my dorm came in sight. It is a beautiful Victorian Mansion that to me looked like a cross between the Palace of Versailles and an English Castle. The grand mansion stood majestically behind an acre of elaborate gardens filled with intertwining pathways, lined with rose bushes, trellises with climbing vines and seating here and there.

My dorm is over three hundred thousand square feet in size and has fifty apartments, each of which have two bedrooms, two bathrooms and a shared living area. The mansion is one of many dorms on the Blueridge Prep Campus, each as grand if not more so than the one before. Aaron drove around to the back of the mansion where the parking lot was, and after parking we walked through the stained glass double doors into my dorm together. The rear foyer was a large room with Victorian decor and colors. In front of us was the grand staircase with its dark wood and red carpeting. We walked up to the landing where ten feet in front of us the stairs went back down to the first floor, and to our left and right were two other staircases, one leading to the second floor and the other leading to the third.

Aaron and I took the stairs to the third floor and down three different hallways to the apartment that I share with Margret Petrova, my closest friend. Margret was on the white couch kissing her boyfriend, Jack Franklin, when Aaron and I entered. Judging by the way they were holding each other, I was grateful we had not walked in five minutes later. They did not seem to notice our entrance, for they were far too lost with each and every kiss they shared. Jack's hand was tangled in Margret's brown hair as they clung onto each other like their lives depended on it. I blushed and looked away.

"See? What did I tell you?" Aaron said to me, Jack and Margret stopped kissing and looked at us with smiles, their faces flushed. "You cannot leave these two in a room alone together, they are liable to burn down the building with that kind of heat."

I laughed and shook my head, knowing he was probably right. Jack rolled his dark blue eyes and looked at his girlfriend's beautiful face. His brown shaggy hair was disheveled from their kissing. Jack is 5'10, lean muscled and quite good looking. He is also Aaron's best friend. They are both on the Football Team, and are roommates.

Jack and Margret have been dating for over a year now, ever since Jack got up the courage to ask Margret out, and it is more than obvious that they are crazy in love. Margret looked at Jack, her warm brown eyes smiling into his, then they laughed for no reason at all together. There was so much to the way they looked at each other. I felt a pang of jealousy and decided to excuse myself.

"I am going to get ready." I told them.

I went into my bedroom and closed the door behind me, taking a deep breath as I looked over my bedroom. The walls were covered in vintage wallpaper with white and off-white designs. Dark wood crown molding went around the room at the baseboard and the ceiling while the floors were a patterned ash wood. To my right was my favorite place to read, a large picture window with a window seat beneath it. The room is easily four times the size of my room back home in California. All the furniture, from the queen sized bed and the nightstands, to the carved desk and chairs were all made out of ash wood. The white wood looked beautiful against the dark raspberry upholstery and drapes.

I went into my marble bathroom and turned on the shower before getting out of my dirty clothing and into the hot water. My thoughts were somewhere else, in my mind I saw how Margret and Jack look at each other. I have no feelings except for friendship towards them both, it was the love that they share that I envied.

Aaron and I have been together for two years now, we have always been there for each other. Aaron held me as I cried for hours when my grandfather died, crying is something I rarely ever do, and I held him when his father died a year ago.

For months now I have felt that something was missing between Aaron and I, some element that should be between two people that love each other. I have said nothing to Aaron about this because I could not bear to hurt him, for him to think that he is at fault here, when the fault lies with me.

I do love Aaron and I cannot see a reason to leave him, I know how much he loves me. _I just wish we could be as in love as Margret and Jack clearly are._ I tried not to linger on that thought or on the confusion inside of me as I got out of the shower and blow-dried my golden blond, wavy hair.

I went into my enormous closet. It is the size of my bedroom back home, perhaps larger. I could never afford to fill it but I did have some clothing in here. I chose a knee length, black strapless dress that hugged my perfect curves beautifully, then slipped on a pair of black high heels that were a gift from Margret along with gold earrings that were another gift before picking up a black purse. After dressing, I went back out to the living area where Margret, Jack and Aaron were all watching TV.

"Wow." Aaron said when he saw me.

I smiled and with that we were off. Margret and Jack took her car, and I rode with Aaron in his SUV. An hour later we reached the Morilana. It was a large warehouse that had been beautifully renovated into an incredible nightclub. Most of the students from Blueridge Prep come to the Morilana to dance and let loose. The four of us went in together. The club was loud with good music that pulsed through me and crowded with dancing bodies. I followed my group up to our usual booth. It was a white velvet semi circle with black woodwork and a low black table in the center of it. How they kept the velvet white was a mystery to me.

"Let's dance." Aaron said to me not long after we sat.

I set my purse down and followed him to the crowded dance floor and let the music flow through me and take over. My body began to move, my hips began to sway. The music became a part of me as I danced with Aaron, it felt wonderful to let go. Aaron and I danced for an hour or more, Margret and Jack eventually joined us and we all danced together before returning to the booth for water. We were laughing and of course Margret and Jack were all over each other, they stopped when Aaron loudly cleared his throat.

"What?" Jack asked.

"Did you hear about the dyslexic Satanist?" Aaron asked over the music in all sincerity, I knew the joke was coming.

"No." Jack said.

"He sold his soul to Santa." Aaron said and we all burst into laughter.

"I have to give it to you," Margret said. "That was a good one."

I looked out to the dance floor at all the people dancing, some of whom I knew. I nodded my head to the music, enjoying the song that was being loudly played. Aaron moved my hair behind my shoulder, his fingers gently brushing over my neck. As he did so, I looked at him, his sage green eyes were tender. He leaned in and kissed me, one sweet soft kiss, then another kiss.

"Okay, okay, break it up love birds." Jack said.

"You're one to talk, Jack." Aaron said, then continued to kiss me.

"Earth to Mera." Margret said. I turned and looked at her, blushing. Margret rolled her warm brown eyes.

"Sorry, what were you saying?" I asked.

"I was saying that we have to go soon if you want to be both awake and coherent in the morning." She replied with a laugh.

"Do you have to go?" Aaron asked with a fake pout. "This is our last night before school starts again, we are supposed to be partying."

"Damn right!" Jack yelled, we laughed.

"I am afraid I must," I told Aaron. "We have a new horse coming to the Stables in the morning, which means getting up at 5am to be there at 5:30."

"Is Olivia working with you and the girls tomorrow?" Margret asked.

I rolled my eyes and groaned. Olivia Rosenberg is the spoiled daughter of some prince who is thirty-third in line for the throne on some remote island in the North Pacific, and she seems to thinks that makes her better than the rest of us. Her father is having her work with myself and the other girls at the Stables to teach her some humility, the lesson has obviously not sunk in yet.

"Olivia? Work? Are you kidding?" I asked then shook my head. "She does not know the first thing about horses and I am quite certain that she hates them. She thinks she is too good for the work and worse yet, she thinks that she can order us to do her work for her." I smiled then. "So in turn I come up with crazy and idiotic jobs for her to do. I swear that girl does not have a brain in her skull." I had to laugh when I thought of the tasks I have set her upon.

"Tell them about the one with the blankets." Aaron said. I chuckled and nodded and turned to Margret and Jack.

"I told Olivia that after it rains she has to dry the horses' blankets with a hair dryer or else they will freeze." I told them, they laughed.

"In the beginning of September?" Margret asked.

"It can get very cold at night." I said innocently before I cracked a smile.

"And doesn't each horse have two sets of blankets so that one can dry?" Margret asked.

"Oh, I think I might have neglected to mention that." I said with a sheepish grin, my friends started laughing.

"What else did you convince her to do?" Jack asked.

"Once, I told her that she has to blow dry the horses coats before she puts any blankets on them." I told them.

It would have been much easier if Olivia had just put a wool cooler on a wet horse to wick away the moisture, but if she was going to try and treat me and my friends in that manor then why should I make things easier for her?

"You're kidding! Did she do it?" Jack asked, I nodded.

"It was the funniest thing I have ever seen." I told him, laughing at the memory. "I thought that she would know I was being sarcastic. I honestly do not know how I kept a straight face. I walked by the stall and had to do a double take when I saw her standing there blow drying the horse's coat. She even had a comb that she was using to lift up the fur so it would dry more quickly." We all began laughing again. It was a good thing that Olivia did not try that on Thomas, that horse would have flipped out at the sound of the blow dryer and she could have gotten hurt. "I know I should not tease her so." I said.

"Are you kidding?" Aaron asked. "She deserves it. She can't keep treating people the way she does." I smiled a thank you to him.

"Well, since that happened, she has stopped asking us to do her work for her, so I guess my little scheme worked." I said with a shrug. "I really should be going though."

"Alright, I'll see you tomorrow." Aaron replied. I leaned in to give him a quick peck on the lips then got up. "Love you babe." Aaron said with a smile.

"Love you too." I gave him one last smile.

I turned to see Margret in Jacks arms as they kissed goodbye. I smiled, _I am happy they have each other. Margret deserves to have someone like Jack in her life._

"Margret?" I said after a few moments, when it was clear that they had no intention of letting each other go.

They finally stopped kissing, both of them smiling and breathing heavily. Margret turned to me, her cheeks stained with a deep blush.

"Sorry." She said, then she turned back to Jack. I turned back to Aaron, giving them some privacy. He smiled to me and I returned the smile as best I could with all that was on my mind.

"I love you." I heard Jack say to Margret, his voice ringing with the deep truth of his words.

"I love you too." Margret replied, her voice softer but no less true.

I turned around, hoping they were done. Jack placed a sweet kiss on Margret's forehead then they held each other for a moment and finally let go. Margret smiled to me and nodded towards the door. I followed her outside of the club and to the parking lot, her brown hair and my golden hair blowing in the wind as we made our way to her white Jaguar XJ. The car was a birthday present from her parents. The silence of the night was welcomed after being in the loud club for so long.

"That was fun." Margret said as we buckled in, she sounded like she was still floating upon cloud nine. I smiled a little.

"It was." I said, trying to sound convincing.

"Are you okay?" Margret asked, her brown eyes showing concern when she looked to me.

I took a deep breath and shook my head, tears wanting to come to my eyes. This confusion ran rapids throughout my soul, as it has, as I searched for an answer to the missing piece of my destiny. If I could only ask for one thing in life, I knew what it would be; a purpose, a life that I know is meaningful, significant. This deep desire for more has harangued my soul for what seems like a truly long time; I could not have said where it started, or when, perhaps it has always been there, trying to fight its way to the surface. How do you explain to those you love that you want more than the life they have to offer? I guess I should be thankful to be born into this day and age, when a woman is encouraged to make her own way in the world, find her own destiny. In truth, I do not know what I want out of life; so how do I know the answers are so close?

"Are you?" Margret asked, shaking me from my thoughts as I turned my head to meet her eyes.

I could not stop thinking about her and Jack, just how madly in love they are and just how much I wanted that. To feel a devotion beyond words; to be a half of a whole was another thing I desperately wanted... and I had no idea who could provide that. If I worked at it with Aaron, would our relationship become what Margret and her adored share? I knew how much I needed answers, so I took another breath as I looked upon my closest friend. If there is anyone I can talk to about this, it is her. When Margret knows a secret, she becomes a vault; she has never shared a single secret I have shared with her. There was only one question I could ask.

"How do you know when you are with the right person?" I asked her. She smiled.

"If you have to ask, then you are not with the right one, your one." She replied.

"It cannot be that simple, can it?" I asked her, knowing my purple blue eyes were wide with need for the answers.

"It is that effortless, knowing I mean." She told me with her smile. "I knew that Jack is the only one for me long before our first date. And the first time he kissed me..." Margret smiled and blushed at the memory. "It was as plain as the nose on your face. I cannot explain it except to say that when you know, you know."

I shook my head and looked down at my hands in my lap. I have so much. I have a wonderful father and mother, great and beloved friends, a boyfriend who loves me, and by some stroke of luck I have a full scholarship to one of the best and highly prestigious prep schools in the country. My family has never had much money, but that has never bothered me. Our bills have always gotten paid and there is always food on the table and love in our hearts, and that is, or at least that _was_ enough for me._ I have been so lucky... so why do I feel this emptiness, this longing? _I just wish I knew what it is that is missing. I knew I should feel awful for not being as happy as I should be with all I have been given... yet all I can focus on lately is this need for more, for something... destined. I looked over to Margret when I noticed how silent she had been; her feature held one of her looks I would know anywhere when it came to her.

"What is it?" I asked her. She has always made that face when she is trying to decide to whether say to something or not. She sighed, then met my eyes.

"Have you ever considered, that perhaps Aaron isn't the one for you?" She asked, she was speaking my thoughts to a certain extent.

"Lately I have." I told her, then sighed. "But Aaron and I have been together for two years. He makes me happy when I am with him." If anything was true, it was that he does make me laugh when we are together. "Aaron adores me; he loves me."

"But more importantly, are you still in love with him?" Margret asked, glancing at me again with searching eyes. I did not have an answer to that, though I knew I should have one; a part of me at one time would say yes without a moments pause.

"I love Aaron as I love you, Mera, you know that." She told me. "But a relationship should be more than just a friendship with benefits. It should be about something more, something deeper, something that defies explanation. You deserve to love someone like that. I just want you to be happy, truly happy, like I am with Jack. Everyone deserves this kind of uncontrollable love, it changes you, it... makes you whole." She said with such indescribable wonder within her brown eyes.

I had no words, no reply to all she had said. Margret gave me a smile before she started up her coupe. We were silent for the rest of the ride back to our dorm; after saying goodnight to Margret, I retired to my bedroom. I changed into a soft cotton nightgown, and went to sleep in my silk sheets on my Tempurpedic bed, all the while thinking about the conversation I had with Margret while that urge for everything persisted.

* * *

My alarm went off promptly at 5am. I shut it off, sitting up in bed with a yawn. From the moment I opened my eyes, I realized that the feeling of the coming change was even more potent, more powerful and intense, this morning than it had been last night. Whatever is to come, today is the day it will begin, and I did everything I could in to try and manage the uncontrollable curiosity rattling around within my soul. I bit my lip, not able to help it at this excitement flowing through me.

I got out of my warm bed and changed into the shorts and tee shirt I had ready for the morning. I brushed my hair and put it up in a ponytail, then slipped my socked feet into running shoes and grabbed my sweatshirt to tie around my waist. I drank a glass of water and ate an energy bar before leaving the apartment. I made my way outside, onto the campus of Blueridge Prep. It was still dark out, the sun was not due to rise for about another hour. I did my stretches then took off at a jog.

The campus was dark but the path I ran was well lit, thankfully. I knew the path well, I have been running the same way to the Stables almost every morning for the past three years I have attended this boarding school. Within ten minutes I was past the awe-inspiring dorms and on the path through the woods, the lanterns hanging on the trees providing enough light to see where I was headed. Five minutes later, I was out of the woods and at the Stables; there were still three rolling acres of paddocks before I reached the Stables itself. The horses outside whinnied as I passed and I smiled as I went by. I looked ahead and in the distance I was quickly closing, I saw the familiar large white Stables; it looked like three stables put together with dark blue accents and a gray/blue roof, at the top of a small hill. The image was grand and idyllic, which I could only guess was the effect the architect was going for when she was hired some twenty years ago. Not that you could tell; the stable was kept in pristine condition at all times, something I helped in.

I entered into the Stables and was greeted by the wonderful scent of horses; a smell, that after being around horses my whole life, smelled like a home away from home. I turned on the lights to reveal the spectacular interior with its tall ceilings, bold oaken beams, and skylights set into the peaked roof high above my head. The horses whinnied excitedly, giddy with anticipation for their breakfast. Judging by them, one would be likely to think they had not been fed in a year, when in reality they were fed just last night by myself. I laughed, feeling excited myself this morning.

"Breakfast is coming my dears!" I told them as I went into the tack room.

I quickly changed into my jeans and pulled on my tall, dark blue muck boots. The other girls who work with me would arrive soon. I plugged my iPod into the sound system, pressed play, and a moment later the whole place was filled with my favorite music from the weatherproof speakers throughout the Stables. I went to the grain room and began adding beet pulp and hay cubes to the horses' food. It has to be fresh, so I could not have added it when I made breakfast last night. Before I was done, the five other working students arrived. Blue-eyed, blond-haired Marge Taylor; Ella Dawson with her red hair and gray eyes; Olivia Rosenberg who has jade green eyes and dark brown hair; and Heather Ellis who has the look of a twenties movie star with her fair completion, pale blond hair, full lips and almond-shaped chocolate brown eyes.

They looked tired, yawning as they waved me good morning. They all gave me a smile when I said hello, except for Olivia that is, who seemed to be pretending I did not exist. We all pretty much wear the same clothing when we work; a tee shirt or something of the sort, along with either yoga pants or jeans that are tucked into the muck boots we wear, and we have our hair up and out of the way. We are the Barn Girls! As always, Marge and Ella stayed to wait for me to finish the grain while Olivia and Heather throw each of the horses two flakes of hay.

After all the horses were fed, we dumped out the buckets of water from each stall. This has to be done daily so that the horses have fresh water. One thing I love about the Stables, is that all I have to do to fill the water in each of the thirty stalls, is press a button and the water comes out of little faucets in the stall. It is so much easier than dragging around a hose.

We then switched the horses, bringing the ones that were outside in and putting the ones that were inside for the night out in the paddocks. When that was done we started on the stalls. We talked, joked around, sang and danced to the music while we cleaned the stalls. We always have fun together.

Twenty minutes into it we heard Olivia yell "CRAP!" and we all laughed. When someone says 'crap' or anything of the sort around a barn they mean it literally. It turned out as I guessed, Olivia had been dumping a muck bucket full of shavings and horse droppings into the trailer when the wind blew towards her and the dirty shavings blew back on her, which was what made her yell. That kind of thing happens all the time, after a while you just get used to it and thank god for showers.

We finished the stable work within two hours of starting. We are a well-oiled machine. We hung out for about a half hour after we finished, like we always do, then they went back to their dorms to get ready for school and I waited for the new horse to arrive. I looked at myself and saw that I had some bits of shavings stuck to my skin and a few smudges of dirt here and there. I brushed off what I could and checked my watch to see that I still had another hour before the new horse, _Vrontos_, would arrive with his owner. I would clean up more before then.

I unplugged my iPod from the dock that connected it to the speakers in the Stables and plugged in my headphones, putting the iPod into my arm band to keep it with me. I went into the tack room and sat down for ten minutes to take a break and drink some water, then went to look for something to do. I found that there were a few bridles that needed to be cleaned so I got out the tack soap, a sponge and a small bucket of water. I wet the sponge and began to sing as I cleaned the bridles.

My hips swayed to the music, and I began to sing louder as a song came on that I loved. I started dancing and spinning around like a fool while admittedly having a great time. Soon I was I singing at the top of my lungs, belting out every note in my mothers voice. I spun around in my little dance and stopped in shock, glued to the spot I stood, transfixed at the sight before me. A man was leaning up against the doors frame with one shoulder, his muscular arms crossed over his well built chest, a crooked smile in place, flashing his perfect white teeth.

_How can anyone be so... beautiful?_ The man was tall, around a few inches over 6', with short black curly hair that stood up an inch above his head and possessed a healthy sheen. His cinnamon skin seemed to hold a slight glow to it; while his bright, sky blue eyes stood out in such a stunning and stark contrast to his perfect skin. He looked to be about twenty-five or thirty, fully mature but before wrinkles.

I could not take my eyes off of his face, enraptured by every inch of it, every detail. His chiseled features held such elements of perfection to them that I hardly thought it possible for him to be anything further than a daydream. His straight nose, his strong jaw, those high cheekbones, and his perfectly shaped full lips; his crooked smile and flawless white teeth were also perfect, for lack of a better or more fitting definition. They were looks that super models would sell their souls to possess, yet he possessed them and radiated a confidence that many could only dream of bearing.

The beautiful man before me was wearing a button down shirt of sapphire blue silk, the sleeves rolled up just below his elbows. A few of the buttons were undone at the top, reveling a limited and yet very appealing glimpse of his smooth chest. With that, he wore a pair of well tailored almond colored dress pants with a warm brown leather belt, and Italian leather shoes. He is the very essence of perfection and try as I might, my eyes refused to look anywhere else but upon him.

I am embarrassed to admit how my body reacted to the sight of him. My heart fluttered as a warmth spread through me, a blush making an appearance upon my cheeks, and a _feeling_, something I do not quite know how to explain, became all too evident deep within me as I looked into this man's sky blue eyes, shocking me with the intensity of it. Yet there was something different about his eyes, and I could not put my finger on what exactly it could be.

The man stood up straight and started walking towards me, my heart beating faster with every step he took as he drew closer to me. His stride had an air of confidence to it; his beautiful head held high, and his muscular shoulders low and back. He could have easily been from some old line of royalty. He stopped two feet away from me. I looked up into his stunning eyes, my head tilted back to peer up into them. The bright, sky blue drew me in, in an inexplicable way. His eyes looked old, as if they have seen things most have not, _ancient eyes; _and there was something more in them, a sadness that appeared a part of him, as if he had carried it around with him for such a long time he had forgotten how it was before he bore it. I wondered about that sadness and its cause._  
_

In the following moment, the beautiful man raised his hand and with a smirk, he took my left headphone from my ear and let it drop. I had all but forgotten I was still listening to music, lost as I was in his nearness. I chuckled in embarrassment and removed the other earpiece, tucking it into my back pocket. I realized a moment later that I was unintentionally gawking at him, I blushed but I could not look away from him. Then, wonder of wonders, he spoke.

"I called to see if there was anyone here, then I heard your singing. You have a lovely voice." The man explained, my blush grew deeper, not only from the complement, but from the tenor of that voice.

How can such a sound exist? So kind and deep; it was sweet but it held strength to it, and a smoothness, almost as silk. His voice was like a symphony composed to please my ears alone. For some reason his voice reminded me of the gentle rumble of a thunderstorm in the distance. It has that calming quality, like a lullaby, while at the same time held an element of power that excited me. I wondered if his voice could also sound like a loud thunderstorm raging overhead if he were angry?

"I am sorry, who are you?" I asked after I more or less got over the shock of his voice.

"Forgive me, I am Ariston Crete, I am boarding my horse Vrontos here." He introduced himself. _What a name, it certainly suits him._ I smiled to him.

"Oh, of course, Jenna told me you were coming. We have a stall waiting for your horse." I told him. I wiped the saddle soap that was on my hand onto my jeans and held it out to shake his. He noticed my doing this and chuckled once, but there was something missing to the sound. "I am Mera Vandenberg." I introduced myself, leaving out my middle name as I always do.

He reached forward and took my hand in his. I gasped when our skin touched and gazed into his eyes in a kind of shocked wonder, my eyes wide. His hand was smooth and warm, a few degrees warmer than it should be, and that heat sank into me, but it was not his heat that made me gasp. It felt like a storm resided within his skin and the moment our hands met, the storm and heat went raging through my veins, leaving my skin tingling and my heart fluttering while also making my blush deeper. It was like heat lightning, flashes of brilliance without sound that told of an impending storm. It awakened something within me, something I did not know existed, and took what little was left of my breath away.

We stood there for a moment in a stunned silence, looking into each others eyes. He looked at me with a kind of wonder and incredulity in his sky blue eyes, like he was searching for something, for a mere instant, then it was gone. _Did I imagine such a look?_

Ariston came out of that daze before I did and instead of shaking my hand, he brought it up to his lips and kissed just below my knuckles. His warm lips felt indescribable on my skin, leaving a tingle, and making me take a deep breath in. My whole body felt warmer, and it was a minute before I realized I was gawking again.

"It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Miss Vandenberg." He said, with a hint of that same crooked smile.

"And you, Mr. Crete." I said with a slight smile, still breathless, then added. "By the way, you may call me Mera."

"And you may call me Ariston, Mera." He said to me. I smiled, I like the way my name sounded on his lips.

"Ariston." I like the way his name felt on my lips too; he smiled a little bit bigger and my smile grew. I was still lost in him, trying to understand what it was I was feeling, but I did what I could to think clearly. "Where is your horse?"

"He is in my trailer, this way." Ariston said, realizing then that he still held my hand. We both looked down and he let go of my hand, though somewhat reluctantly.

Ariston and I walked out of the tack room and through the Stables side by side, with him a foot away from me. His hands were clasped behind his back. My hand still tingled from where he held, almost as if he were still holding it, and the spot where he kissed felt as if it were burning. I could not for the life of me describe the energy that was radiating between our very souls, even as we simply walked side by side. I could only wonder if he felt it too. It was so new to me, so unlike anything I had ever felt. I looked up to his face as we walked, he smiled as he met my eyes.

"Where are you from?" I asked him.

"Thessaly." Ariston answered with pride.

"Greece?" I asked, an excitement within my voice. He nodded with a smile. "I have always wanted to go to there, it looks so beautiful."

"It most definitely is; I love my home." I could hear in his voice that he did.

"Were you born there?" I asked him.

"On the isle of Santorini." He replied. "And you? Where do you come from?"

"A little town on the California Coast called Pescadero, I was born there." I told him, smiling at the thought of it.

"Did you enjoy it there?" Ariston asked, studying my face in a very distracting manor.

"Yes, I miss my mom and dad, and the ocean." I told him. "I used to go to the beach everyday with my friends, and on the weekends we would have bonfires." I smiled at the memory then shook my head. "I almost forget how much I miss it until I speak of it." Ariston smiled.

"I know exactly what you mean." He told me. "Why did you move all the way to Maine then? If I may ask?" Ariston asked, he seemed truly curious.

"Well because of my good grades and some insane luck, I got a full scholarship to Blueridge Prep when I was fourteen-years-old, and I have been living here for the last three years since. I go home for the summers and holidays though." I told him. Ariston smiled to me.

"Well then, it seems I am your new history professor." He told me.

I looked at him with surprise and a strange feeling of joy. Knowing that I would be seeing this beautiful man on a daily basis made me very happy and optimistic, nearly giddy, for a reason I could not name. He smiled in return.

Just then we walked out of the Stables. Ariston's trailer was backed up to the entrance with the windows open, I could see the back-end and flowing tail of a large white horse. The trailer itself was made of a beautiful, bright metal, engraved here and there with designs in gold. Ariston went to one side and undid the bolt and I went and undid the other to let the back of the trailer down. We let down the back ramp together; I kept looking at Ariston, I could hardly take my eyes off of him. He glanced at me and smiled a little. It seemed that whenever he looked into my eyes, dozens of emotions would run through his eyes in a matter of moments. I turned my attention back to the trailer, inside of which was the most beautiful stallion I have ever laid eyes on.

When the butt bar was let down, Ariston made a clucking sound and the horse backed out until he was off of the ramp, then stood there while Ariston took hold of his leather halter and attached a fine leather lead. There was something ethereal about the way the horse's pure white coat, hair and dark eyes shined. The horse had a strong and noble face with kind eyes, much like his owner. The beautiful stallion must have been at least 17 hands if not more, his withers were as tall as I am. His mane was long, white and wavy, so was his full tail.

"He is beautiful." I said in utter amazement. "How do you keep him clean?" Ariston laughed.

"Now that takes work!" Ariston jested, making me laugh with him. "He keeps himself rather clean, unless I have just washed him."

"I hate how they _always_ roll the moment they get into their paddocks." I said with a shake of my head.

"It is the horses prerogative I suppose." He said, electing a laugh from me.

I went up to the horse and let him sniff my hand. His ears were forward so I gently stroked his neck, his fur was so soft.

"He likes you." Ariston said. I glanced at him and smiled.

"I like him too. His name is Vrontos?" I asked, Ariston nodded. With some difficulty I took my eyes off of Ariston and looked back at Vrontos. "Thunder." I said.

"You know Greek?" Ariston asked, though he did not seem surprised.

"Only a little." I told him. He smiled to me.

"Where shall I put him?" Ariston asked, his beautiful voice kind and patient.

"This way." I said, jerking my head towards the barn.

We began to walk with Vrontos in between Ariston and I. A part of me was glad for that; when I see Ariston or look into his eyes, I cannot seem to think straight and words do not come right away. But another part of me felt the opposite of glad, because I could not see him. I brought them to the open stall that has been waiting for Vrontos for the past week.

"In here." I told Ariston.

Ariston brought Vrontos into the stall and took his leather halter off. I went in and helped him take the horse's green shipping boots off. I removed the two on my side and Ariston took the other two off.

"Thank you." Ariston said as I handed the pair to him, I nodded. "Where should I put my things?" He asked.

"This way." I told him.

After locking Vrontos' door, I guided Ariston to the tack room, where a place was ready for his things. After carrying bags of grain and supplements for Vrontos to the grain room and bringing in his blankets to the blanket room, we went back to Vrontos' stall.

"Do you need help with your tack and brushes?" I asked him.

"No, I will bring in the rest later." Ariston said with a smile. "Thank you though." Vrontos stuck his head out of the opening in his door and Ariston laughed once and stroked his horses pure white cheek. "I will see you later, old friend." He said quietly to his horse; there was a moment that passed between them as they looked into each other's eyes, then the horse nodded and Ariston laughed again and kissed his horses head, right between his dark eyes. I could not help thinking how beautiful that was. Ariston looked to me for a moment before speaking. "I really must be going; where may I park my trailer?" Ariston asked.

"There is a covered space on the side of the Stables where the other trailers are parked. There should be more than enough room." I told him, he nodded.

Truth be told, I did not want him to leave. I wanted him to stay a while longer so I could learn more about him. I looked into Ariston's eyes and then, to my great embarrassment, my stomach growled and gurgled loudly. He glanced at it before meeting my eyes again.

"You are hungry." Ariston stated.

"A little," I admitted. "I am going to eat something before school starts. I can survive until then."

"Nonsense, I have something in my truck." Ariston said right away.

"That isn't necessary," I tried to tell him.

"I will be right back." Ariston said, it was obvious he was not going to take no for an answer. I smiled and nodded. He turned around and walked out of the Stables. I watched him go to his black Range Rover, open the door and lean inside. He walked back with something in his hand, his eyes on mine. "A Chicken Caesar Wrap." Ariston announced as he handed it to me. I took it and shook my head before smiling up to him.

"Thank you so much, it is my favorite." It truly is one of my favorite things to eat.

"It is one of mine as well." Ariston replied. He raised his hand, hesitating and eying my hair for some reason. "May I?" He asked, I nodded.

A part of me hoped he would lay his hand upon my cheek, but he reached to my hair and came back with a piece of hay about three inches long. I closed my eyes, I was embarrassed to say the least.

"I have hay all in my hair don't I?" I asked, though I already knew the answer. I opened my eyes when I heard him chuckle.

"I am afraid so." Ariston said with some humor in his sky blue eyes.

"Occupational hazard." I said with a shrug, he laughed once and I joined in.

Ariston dropped the piece of hay and held his hand out. I placed mine in his, and once again I felt the storm as he kissed my hand softly.

"Thank you very much for your help, Mera." Ariston said, and again I enjoyed the way it sounded.

"You are very welcome." I said, somewhat softly. He still held my hand, I smiled a little at that and felt breathless. In all honesty, I felt as if I had completely forgotten how to let go of his hand.

"I will see you in class, enjoy the wrap." Ariston said with a smile.

He let go of my hand, turned and walked for the exit. Vrontos stuck his head out and I stroked his cheek while I watched Ariston walk away. Ariston glanced back to me once for a lingering moment, we shared a smile, then got in his car and drove away. In that one look I could see his sadness, even from this distance. For some reason, the knowledge that he had pain within him twisted at something inside of me. I wished more then anything that I could do something to take that pain away, and replace it with happiness and laughter; I wanted to see a smile in his eyes in the place of that pain.

"Sadness does not belong in his eyes." I said, then turned to the beautiful white stallion. "I do not suppose you would know what has hurt him so?" I asked the horse, Vrontos whinnied a bit. I smiled and then made a decision in that moment. "I am going to help him if he will let me. I do not know how, but I am going to help him." I said to Vrontos, meaning every word.

I opened the wrap and took a bite, it was absolutely delicious, with just the right amount of dressing, the grilled chicken juicy and still warm, with a bit of crispiness here and there from the grill, and the croutons were crisp and perfectly seasoned. It was fresh, as if it had just been made. I was a lot hungrier than I knew, and the first bite proved to what extent. I smiled and took another bite while walking to the tack room. I would need to get back to my apartment to prepare for the first day of school... not to mention my future encounter with that incredible man I just met; just thinking of him made me giggle.

* * *

**Author's Note: So? Thoughts? I always do adore feedback! And thank you WriteMuse for posting the first review for the rewrite! I LOVED what you said and can only hope you will enjoy the rest!**

**I hope to have the next chapter out soon, I just need to go over it and that could take time, but I will try to make it sooner rather than later. ;)**

**Much Love, Jasmine.**


	4. Chapter Two: Next Encounter

**Chapter Two**

**Next Encounter  
**

**"Love is like a slippery slope, you tend to fall when you least expect it."**

**Jasmine Dubroff**

I enjoyed the hot shower, but my mind was in other places. It has been well over an hour since I met Ariston Crete, I was still stunned by the encounter, and I still felt breathless and sort of lightheaded. No one has ever had this kind of an effect on me. It feels as if he holds a power over me, over my body... even my soul. I could not help the blush that covered my cheeks at the thought of him. My hand still tingled from where he held it and kissed it.

No matter what, I could not stop thinking about Ariston; his smile, his voice, his beauty... how a dozen emotions can run through his eyes in a moment, and also the sadness he tries to hide. The thing was, that I did not want to stop thinking about him; this man fascinated me in a way I was hardly able to understand. The very thought of him made me smile for a reason I could not explain.

I got out of the shower and dried off then wrapped the towel around my hair. I chose my outfit with care; dressing in a blue cotton halter-top and a knee length, A-line, white skirt with leather wedges for shoes. The outfit complimented my perfect figure beautifully; I have always stayed in prime physical condition, health and fitness were important to me. Of course when you have worked with and ridden horses at least five days a week since you were able to, your body tends to be fit and toned, and with the "gifts" my mother gave me it was obvious why most men eyed me, not that I have desired such attention from anyone in the past.

I felt a difference within me today; something has changed, as I was certain it would yesterday. I ran a brush through my hair as I stood in front of the mirror, in front of my blue glass sink. The same face looked back at me, an elegant face with flawless, lightly tanned skin, high cheekbones, full pink lips and violet eyes that were more purple than blue surrounded with thick, dark gold eyelashes. A blush covered my cheeks in a beautiful pink and my full, wavy, golden hair flowed around me before I pulled some of it out of my face with a metal barrette, the rest cascaded down my back. I look as I always do, so it must be as I guessed, this difference must be within me. I walked out of my room in a sort of daze, thinking about the difference, wondering at it. I almost felt like I was glowing, it was a feeling of weightlessness that filled me.

"Well, don't you look beautiful!" I heard Margret's voice as I entered the living room, but only part of me was aware of it. I looked up at her and smiled. She looked taken aback for a moment, as if she saw something upon my face she had not seen before. "Are you dressing up for Aaron?" She asked.

I was shocked for a moment. _After being with Ariston Crete for less than an hour, I all but forgot about my boyfriend of two years._ I shook it off as well as I could and smiled to Margret; it was an unsettling feeling.

"Are you ready to go?" I asked her, wanting a distraction.

"Your bag?" Margret asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Thank you." I said, walking back into my room and grabbing my book bag. "Let's go." I said to Margret and we walked out and locked the door to our apartment.

"How was my Willow this morning?" Margret asked in a fond tone, speaking of her six-year-old mare as we walked down the hallway. Willow is a 16 hand, dappled gray Irish Sport Horse and an absolute sweetheart, she is the exception to the rule about mares that only a horse rider knows.

"She was her usual sweet self; she could not wait for her food." I said with a smile, I really do love that horse. "Are you riding her today?" I asked.

"No, you can." Margret replied with a smile. "I so love that this school starts class two hours later on the first day of school. What a wonderful idea." She sighed.

"That does mean that school is out two hours later though." I reminded her.

"Yes, but the extra hours of sleep are worth it after being out late last night, wouldn't you say?" She asked. I raised an eyebrow with an expectant smile on my face, my eyebrows raised, and she suddenly remembered that I woke up at 5am this morning. "Sorry." She said apologetically. I laughed.

"It is okay." I told her. I was in a particularly good mood for a reason I could not exactly name.

We walked outside, and down the path towards the school in silence as I enjoyed the sunshine on my skin, and the slight breeze blowing through my hair on this beautiful day. I felt an extra warmth within me, an essence beside me, which seemed to radiate kindness, warmth and strength; it gave me goosebumps.

"Oh, I forgot to ask," Margret began. "Did the new horse arrive alright this morning?" I thought of Ariston and blushed as my smile grew.

"Yes he did; as it turns out, his owner is our new History Professor." I told her.

"Really? What's his name?" Margret asked.

"Ariston Crete, he is from Greece." I told her, trying not to sound as breathless as I felt. I do like how it feels to say his name.

"Is he good looking?" She asked.

"A simple yes would be an understatement," I said. "I have never seen anyone more... beautiful. He is tall, with black curly hair, skin the color of cinnamon and blue eyes the color of the summer sky on a cloudless afternoon. And his voice... oh it would put a choir of angels to shame." I said breathlessly, getting carried away at the thought of him. I could feel the blush deepening on my cheeks.

"Wow, he sounds hot!" She said, a smile on her face. "What is he like?"

"He has this way about him, a confidence, a regality, and at the same time a deep kindness, the kind where you can tell it is who he genuinely is." I told her, smiling even further. "He is also a perfect gentleman. Right before we said goodbye, my stomach growled and he ran to his truck and gave me his Chicken Caesar Wrap." I smiled at the memory; it was such a small thing, something any gentleman would have done, and yet it meant so much to me.

"He seems to have made quite an impression on you." Margret said to me, I rolled my eyes at the implication in her voice.

"There is just something about him, I do not know how to explain it." I told her with a shrug, while I smiled at the thought of him and tried to control the feelings that were taking over my being. I looked at Margret and found her looking at me with a knowing smile. "Despite that, you should not let your imagination get away with you. I have a boyfriend, and Ariston is a lot older than I am."

"Mera, you are nearly eighteen years old," Margret reminded me. "It is okay to be interested in an older man."

"I know that, but I am not." I told her. A part of me asked whom I was trying to convince.

We walked the rest of the way in silence. Margret and I are like that, we can talk continuously and then be quiet for hours. Ten minutes later we walked under the stone arch and into the main square. Although most of the dorms were already here on the Blueridge Prep Campus, the school itself was built later on. The enormous building was built around a huge courtyard in the center which lets in more natural light. Each of the classrooms were built in small amphitheaters so that the whole class can hear the professor clearly. Blueridge Prep truly is an extraordinary school, a diploma from here is a first class ticket to the best colleges in the world.

Students filled the courtyard. A grand fountain flowed in the center and huge oak trees were everywhere with benches under their shade. The leaves were just beginning to fade to yellow. Some students sat on the benches and others on the grass as they waited for school to begin.

"I am going to meet up with Jack; I will see you in history." Margret said, the same implication in her voice as she mentioned our first class. I rolled my eyes and chuckled.

"See you then." I waved as she walked away.

I went and sat on one of the benches and took a deep breath. I still could not get Ariston out of my mind, and it was getting ridiculous. I took out my sketchpad and some graphite pencils, hoping that drawing would take my mind off of him. I flipped through my detailed drawings; everyone I have shown them to has said that my work is genius. When I got to an empty page, I touched the tip of my pencil to the page and tried to think of something to draw, but all I saw was Ariston's face.

I gave in with a sigh a few minutes later, it was no use fighting it. I knew what I wanted to draw, _whom_ I wished to depict. Within a few minutes I had the image I wanted on the page; I could not take my eyes off of him. It showed Ariston Crete when I first saw him, leaning against the door frame. His beautiful, sad, ancient eyes looked back at me with slight amusement. His beautiful face, crooked smile, and perfect features were clearly depicted on the page, and I was once again struck by his beauty.

After a few minutes, I turned the page and started a new drawing, this one showed Ariston with Vrontos, horse and rider looking at each other in the eyes, seeming to communicate without words being necessary. I gazed upon the drawing, trying to comprehend what exactly it was I was feeling. He was simply a wonderfully fascinating man whom I truly wished to know everything about.

"There you are." I looked up from my drawing to see Aaron's smiling face as he walked towards me.

I smiled to him as he walked over to me. He wore a russet henley colored, v-neck tee-shirt which fit him just right; he paired the shirt with relaxed fit jeans and good looking leather shoes. He wore a watch on his left wrist, one that belonged to his father. It was a simple leather strap with a gold face, it was something incredibly precious to him that his father left him. I knew the loss of his father was something that would never leave him, and all I could do for him was be there, and I have been every moment I could be. His leather backpack was slung across his shoulders, though he slid it off as he sat down next to me and wrapped his arm around my shoulders.

"Hello Aaron." I greeted, looking into his sage green eyes.

"Hey beautiful." He replied in a loving way as he leaned in and gave me a kiss.

I have always loved his kisses, but after this morning, after that touch, it seemed... _lacking_, a thought I tried to forget the moment it entered my mind. I laid my head on his shoulder, something I have done for years now. He smelled of the aftershave which was his favorite, that and a hint of cologne, which went well together. His shirt was a soft cotton wool blend. I saw Aaron look at the sketch and felt him stiffen a bit. I prepared myself for what was to come.

"Who is he?" Aaron asked, some jealousy in his tone that he clearly tried to mask.

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes as I sat up straight; this would not be the first time Aaron has become jealous. _Does he have a reason to be jealous this time? _I wondered as I looked upon the image, then shook off the thought and decided to answer his question.

"His name is Ariston Crete, he is our new History Professor, and this is his horse Vrontos." I told him with a smile.

"That's an odd name." Aaron said, his voice still a bit off.

"Vrontos means thunder in Greek. Ariston is from Greece." I said simply.

"_Ariston_?" Aaron asked with a raised eyebrow as he looked into my eyes.

"It is his name. Are you going to tell me that his name is odd too?" I asked, though I should have known it would not derail him from his rant.

"Since when are you on a first name basis with our teachers?" Aaron asked. I sighed.

"Aaron," I said, trying not to get upset. "You are reading too much into this."

"Am I?" He asked.

"Yes." I told him firmly, closing my sketchpad, while looking at Aaron with a raised eyebrow, challenging him. He sighed and shook his head then smiled to me apologetically. He caressed my cheek.

"Sorry for the twenty questions." He said softly. "Forgive me?"

"I forgive you." I told him with a smile. I put my sketchpad and pencils away in my book bag and we got up from the bench.

I took one step and my body froze. It felt like someone was watching me... no, not someone, _something_. It felt cold, like ice water running down my spine, and dark, so very dark. I cannot explain what happened next, it was pure instinct. My mind and body told me that this darkness was the enemy. This knowledge, combined with the dark essence I felt, triggered something within me. My body was put on high alert, going tense as it prepared for a fight. My hands felt hot as they curled into fists and an energy, like nothing I ever felt, began building up within me.

Strange as it was, somehow, I knew this feeling. Something in me was _daring_ the thing, the darkness, to show itself. My heart was pounding in anticipation, somewhere within me, I _wanted_ a fight. I looked all around and saw nothing, but I felt it closing in behind me and I prepared, anxiously waiting for it to attack so I could rip it limb from limb!

The fight never happened. The next thing I felt was a bright golden essence, it felt like it was made up of light and warmth and strength. It came like a blast towards me and in the very next moment the darkness dissipated, and my body relaxed, my fists unclenching as my hands cooled.

The feeling of the light was... indescribable, but strangely enough, it seemed familiar. The light faded a moment later... no the light did not fade_,_ something within me said that the light was still there while my ability to sense the light faded. All of this happened within five seconds and then I was left there in confusion, not able to come to terms, or make sense of what I had felt.

I stood there, trying to understand what I had felt and how I knew to react the way I had. Some latent instinct had taken over; for those five seconds I was someone else, I was stronger, I felt unbeatable, like I could fight that darkness with ease and win. For those five seconds, I was a warrior through and through. I felt confused but at the same time I felt that I understood, which made me all the more bewildered, and even frightened by what I had felt and what I became.

I looked at the people walking the path before me; some were giving me odd looks. No one else seemed to have felt the darkness, nor the light which saved me from god knows what. I felt a hand on my shoulder and instinct took over; I spun around and blocked the arm, taking hold of his wrist while grabbing the throat of the person who had laid a hand on me. I was prepared for anything as my fingers dug into the skin of his neck... well, anything except for what I saw.

"Mera?" Aaron barely got out over the grip I held on his throat. I let go of his throat a moment later and stepped away. There was a strange recognition in his eyes, as if he understood why I had attacked him as he coughed. "What the hell was that?" He asked as he rubbed his throat, looking into my eyes. I put my hand on his back as I tried to soothe him.

"Aaron, I am so sorry, are you okay?" I asked him, feeling unbelievably guilty for what I had done. _How could I have done that to him?_

"I am fine." He said as his voice recovered, still looking at me with that look in his eyes. "What happened?" He asked.

"I felt like someone was watching me." I told him. I thought I saw worry in his eyes, but a moment later he put a smile on his face.

"Mera, you're the most stunning woman there is; of course _someone_ is watching you." He said with an easy smile. I laughed lightly, not wanting to tell him what really happened for fear he could question my sanity.

"You are probably right." I said as I placed my hand on his shoulder, kissing his cheek before stepping away from him.

"Ah, I found you." Came a relieved voice behind me. My heart skipped a beat as a smile spread across my face. _How do I already know his voice?_

'_My ears have not yet drunk a hundred words of thy tongue's uttering, yet I know the sound._' I remembered the line from Romeo and Juliet. I could not forget Ariston's voice, even if for some ridiculous reason I wished to attempt to do so. At the mere sound, a relief spread through me after the event that had just happened to me.

I turned around to see Ariston Crete walking towards me. I realized when I saw him that there was a part of my mind that had wondered if he was real, if I had not only imagined his beauty, but clearly I had not. Somehow, he is real, right down to his ancient eyes. It felt just as indescribable to look into his eyes as it had before. Only now, after that incident and the darkness I felt I just wanted to be near him.

I walked towards Ariston while smiling, my heart still pounding. I could have sworn he saw in my eyes that something had happened; he was looking at me as if he were asking if I were okay, I gave him a relieved look and nodded. The closer I got to him, the greater the peace I felt, until I stood right before him. I found that even though I am 5'7 and wearing three-inch heels, he still has a few inches on me. He still wore the same clothing I saw him in this morning, a blue button down shirt with a few buttons undone and the sleeves rolled up along with almond colored dress pants, and a leather belt and Italian shoes.

"Hello again, Mera." Ariston said, his ancient eyes looking right into me, once again stunning me with their beauty and hidden sadness. I remembered my promise as I forgot about the incident that just happened.

"Hello yourself." I greeted him.

"It seems I am in need of your assistance." Ariston told me.

"How can I help?" I asked.

"I cannot seem to find my classroom." He replied. I laughed out loud.

"Do not tell me you have gotten lost already?" I said in a playful tone. He chuckled.

"I am afraid so." He admitted with a smile.

"I will show you the way, history is my first class." I told him.

"I would greatly appreciate that." Ariston replied.

Looking into his eyes I forgot where I was, there was only he and I and his sadness. I looked deeper into his eyes, trying to understand the sadness within them. I realized a moment later the difference in his eyes, they almost looked like liquid.

Not a moment later I felt an arm wrap around my shoulders in a protective way; I once again resisted the urge to roll my eyes. Ariston's face took on a mask of friendliness as he looked at Aaron who stood beside me.

"Aren't you going to introduce us?" Aaron asked me, that tone in his voice again.

"This is our new History Professor, Ariston Crete." I began. "Ariston, this is my boyfriend, Aaron Rockford." I introduced them.

"It's nice to meet you Mr. Rockford." Ariston's voice was friendly as he held his hand out. I noticed that Ariston was a few inches taller than Aaron and more muscular.

Aaron looked at Ariston's extended hand; I had to give him a nudge in the ribs before he would shake Ariston's hand. While their hands were clasped, I could see the muscles bulge in Aaron's arm, and I rolled my eyes at his display of testosterone. He was trying to prove that he was the stronger of the two. _Some men really have not come far since the time they carried clubs_. Ariston's face was the same friendly mask, although now there was a slight smirk on his lips. I heard a sudden intake of air from Aaron followed by the both of them letting go of the others hand. Aaron stretched out his hand, and gritted his jaw in displeasure at not having won that little battle.

"That's some grip you have." Aaron said, Ariston gave a bow of his head and I met his eyes, which were unreadable as he searched my eyes, making me wonder what he was looking for. "Are you ready to go?" Aaron asked. After tearing my eyes off of Ariston's, I looked at Aaron with confusion.

"I thought you have engineering?" I asked Aaron.

Blueridge Prep is different from other schools. Here the students are allowed to choose what classes they wish to take, and each class is taught twice a day so that you do not miss a class you want. It really is a brilliant way to learn, it makes it so that you are excited about your classes because you are interested in each one. Aaron chose to take engineering in the morning and history later on in the school day.

"I think I have enough time to walk my girlfriend to class." Aaron responded with a smile, but I knew him better than that. He did not want to leave me alone with Ariston.

This brought a lot of irritation to the surface, which I did what I could to hide._ I hate when he is like this._

"I do not want you to be late for class on your first day," I told Aaron. "What kind of way would that be to start your school year? Go, I think I can get to my classroom." Aaron seemed to debate this for a moment before he sighed. "I will see you later." I said with a satisfied smile, knowing that I had won as I always do. He smiled back.

"Later." He said.

He leaned down and kissed my lips. The kiss was longer then our goodbye kisses usually are, and I knew it was because Ariston was there. I did not at all like the feeling that Aaron was claiming me as his. I broke the kiss, pulling away a bit, I just wanted to get out of that kiss, an odd feeling for me. Something felt wrong about kissing him in this moment.

"You really should get to class." I told him.

"You're right." Aaron said with a smirk, and a look that at one time had made a blush appear upon my cheeks, knowing what he was about to do.

Aaron went to kiss me again, but I turned my head so that his lips met my cheek instead of my lips. I somehow met Ariston's eyes for a moment; I thought I saw outrage in his eyes, but when he blinked it was gone. There was still a protective edge there, yet it was different than the one within Aaron's eyes for it was not controlling. I looked back to Aaron as he took a step away. Aaron looked at me one last time with worry in his eyes, then walked away. I turned to Ariston, wanting to speak with him.

"Mera?" Aaron called to me, I turned back to him. "What did the rug say to the floor?"

"What?" I asked, not really in the mood for one of his jokes, but the need in his eyes encouraged me to listen anyways.

"Don't move, I've got you covered." He said with a smile.

I laughed once and he walked away with a smile. On the rare occasions that Aaron and I fight, he always tells me a joke once we reach a silence, and makes me laugh every time. It is just another thing I love about Aaron, even if his jokes are idiotic and at times even moronic. We are not the type of couple to let any upset linger between us, we see it as a waste of time. Yet everything was so different between us now, on my end at least. I was not as certain as I once was as to where our relationship is going, and it brought an ache to my soul. I turned back to Ariston, seeing a worried look within his eyes.

"Are you alright?" He asked, I just shook my head with a smile, noticing the people walking around us on the path.

"Everything is fine." I told him, though a sadness crept through me. "This way." I said to him and we began walking side by side, we were quiet for a time before I decided to say something. "Thank you for the wrap this morning, I truly was hungry, and it was delicious."

"You're welcome, I am glad you enjoyed it." Ariston said to me. We were once again quite for a few moments. "How long have you and Aaron been together?" He asked, studying my face. I found it was hard to think when he did this.

"Two years." I told him. "We met when I first arrived at Blueridge, and we were friends for a year before he finally asked me out."

"He seems..." Ariston began.

"Jealous?" I offered as I laughed lightly. Ariston held the door to the building open for me, I smiled a thank you to him. "That would be him. Anytime I talk to another male he gets like that, which is one of the reasons I do not have any friends who are men." I told him as I thought back. "At first I thought it was sweet, that he wanted me all to himself; but now I find it can be _quite_ irritating. I may be his girlfriend, but he does not own me." I told him as we walked down the crowded hallway. Ariston smiled to me.

"I agree." Ariston said and I was lost in his eyes for a moment before he looked away. For some purpose, I felt the need to defend Aaron.

"Do not misunderstand me," I told the man beside me. "Aaron is kind and sweet, he has one of the best hearts of anyone I know; he has always been there for me. Besides the jealousy, he is a good guy."

"I understand. Men are like that when they fear they are going to lose the one they love." Ariston said to me, causing my mind to go off in a direction I simply could not allow it to, not yet at least. I decided to change the subject.

"How about you? Is there anyone special in your life?" I asked, Ariston shook his head.

"No, not for sometime." He said, his eyes far away before he returned to the present.

"What made you move from your home?" I asked him a few minutes later. I had been wondering about that; if I lived in Greece, I could not imagine wanting to leave.

"This job." Ariston replied, looking into my eyes. "When I was offered it, I knew it was far too important to pass up."

"You enjoy your job then?" I asked him, I could not help the questions, I wanted to know him. He chuckled.

"Far more then I intended to." He replied, looking away from me, seeming deep in thought before his eyes returned to me. "I take it you enjoy your work?" Ariston asked.

"At the Stables?" I queried. He nodded. "What makes you say that?" Ariston chuckled once, a sound I enjoyed hearing more than I could say.

"You seemed to be enjoying it when I saw you this morning." He stated. I blushed and he laughed, causing some irritation to spike up within me.

"In my defense you were early," I said to him, a bit of said irritation coloring my tone. "You were not supposed to arrive for another hour. If you had been on time, you would have arrived to find me waiting for you looking quite presentable, instead of dancing around like a fool and singing at the top of my lungs, with hay in my hair and bits of shavings stuck to my skin. Just a downside to having thick hair, hay likes to hide there." I told him, he laughed and I shook my head, smiling at the sound, though there was something missing to it.

"There is no need to defend yourself Mera," Ariston told me in all honesty. "I rather enjoyed watching you dance and as I said before, you sing beautifully. Where I come from singing and dancing while you work is a common occurrence; and it was a very good song." I blushed from his compliment. "You have nothing to be embarrassed about, not with a voice like yours." His tone and his eyes were true.

"I get it from my mother, she always sings." I told him with a fond smile. "She told me once that she had her heart set on becoming a famous singer, then she fell in love with my father. She said that all her plans went out the window when I came along, but she never imagined that she could be so happy or that her life could be so complete." Ariston smiled in a way that I could only watch in wonder.

"It is amazing how a child can change your life." He said with a shake of his head.

"Do you have any children?" I asked. His smile faltered for the briefest of moments, before a look came over his face that I have seen on my fathers' face a million times, but his sadness was still there. I could almost see him trying to not think of something.

"I do, a daughter." Ariston replied. An image of him playing with a little girl immediately flashed through my mind, as I melted at the image.

"How old is she?" I asked him.

"Twenty-three;" He answered, much to my shock. "She is my world." He said with such devotion in his voice.

_ Twenty-three...? Ariston must have been quite young when she was born._ I smiled and tried to imagine what she looked like; quite a few possibilities running through my minds eye; then I began wondering about the mother. _He has already said he is not with anyone. Was he married before? Did he go through a divorce, or worse yet, did something happen to his love?_ As curious as I was, I decided not to ask since it was such a personal question. We were quiet for a while as we walked down the bright, sunlit hallway.

"Thank you." Ariston said to me after a while of silence.

"For what?" I asked, it took him a moment to respond and I noticed his face somewhat strained, an emotion he tried to hide. _What could he be thanking me for?_

"For not asking about my wife." He said, not meeting my eyes as I tried to find his. "It is not something I enjoy talking about."

_ What has this man been though?_ I wondered, my heart aching again at the thought of his pain. I wanted to make it go away more than I could put into words.

"Your welcome." I said. He smiled a thank you to me, and I returned the smile as he met my eyes.

I was lost in him, not able to glance away from his beautiful, saddened gaze until he looked away and towards the hall as I turned my eyes front. Suddenly I stopped, noticing our surroundings for the first time in a while. We were in a hallway, like the other hallways, the left side of the wall was lined with lockers and doors and the right wall was made out of glass. That being said, it was the wrong hallway. I shook my head.

"What is it?" Ariston asked. I turned to look at him, blushing in embarrassment.

"We walked by our classroom about five minutes ago." I admitted, he chuckled.

"Not to worry, we still have time before class starts." Ariston said.

We turned around. The walk to the classroom was silent; we would look at each other now and again and smile, or in my case, blush.

"Here we are." I told him when we reached the red oak door.

Ariston once again held the door for me and waited for me to walk through it. _As I said to Margret, a true gentleman_. I walked through the door wondering why people think chivalry is dead, and he followed behind me.

The seats of the small amphitheater rose to my left with room for two hundred students. To my right was a carved oak desk that was painted black with a comfortable looking chair behind it. The orchestra was fifteen feet in diameter, more than enough space for Ariston to walk around and teach. Behind Ariston's desk, a huge chalkboard took up the wall to my right and above us the ceiling was made up of a grid of glass, letting in more than ample light. Ariston smiled then walked up to the chalkboard and wrote his name in huge beautiful letters; I stood facing the chalkboard as he did this. He placed the chalk down and dusted his hands off before looking back to me, smiling as he looked upon me, as if just my presence brought him relief.

"Do you have the history book?" I asked him.

"I do not need one, I know all the knowledge I need to teach this class." Ariston said, as he leaned against his desk, facing me. I could hear in his voice that he was not boasting. It was a simple fact for him, though it was amazing for me.

"You must have an incredible mind." I noted, Ariston chuckled.

"Indeed." He replied, which made me chuckle once.

His ancient, soulful searching eyes were drawing me in once again. I absurdly wanted to feel his warm skin again, to feel the storm flow through me. I felt my feet begin to move towards him when the school bell sounded. I snapped out of my daze, blushed and turned to take my seat in the front row. Moments after, students started pouring in from the door we entered. I watched some of the young women watching Ariston, and just barely hear them gushing about how hot Ariston is; in all honesty, I could not blame them. Margret came in holding Jack's hand; they sat in the seats to my right with Margret next to me. She took a peak at Ariston and then leaned in next to me.

"You weren't kidding, he is hot!" Margret said. I blushed and glanced at Ariston, he met my eyes and his smile grew as he shook his head and glanced away.

When everyone was seated Ariston looked upon them and shared a smile as he leaned back against his desk, greeting the class. His voice held the tone of a leader and of a teacher with great knowledge to be shared.

"Good morning class," Ariston greeted, a gesture some returned, myself included. "I would like to introduce myself. My name is Ariston Crete, and I am your new History Professor. In this class, I will not only teach you the facts of history, but I will also explain to you as best I can the _whys_. What brought about the cold war? How did Stalin gain so much power and why did he use it the way he did?" Ariston posed the rhetorical questions while looking at the faces of his students, his eyes lingering on mine for a moment more than the others before he looked away. "Some of these questions are philosophical, and to a certain extent psychological, but they still have much to do with history, for if you wish to understand history, then you must understand the men and women who made it.

"These questions, and so many others, I am going to answer for you, or at least show you how to answer them for yourselves. If you have any questions or feel that my explanations are lacking in anyway, I ask that you speak up so that you can get the best and fullest education possible." Ariston looked over his students, his eyes once again resting on mine, causing my heart to beat faster, before looking back to the rest of the class. "Now, let's begin." He said with a hint of his beautiful crooked grin. I smiled; although I knew it before, I was now certain that I was truly going to enjoy this class the way he was going to teach it.

* * *

I was not the only one in rapture as the bell rang, bringing an end too soon to Ariston's story of Ancient Greek history. He said that was a good place to begin, since America was founded out of many of its ideas, and of course those of Rome after it. Even the straight men in the class were lost in the way this man told of times long gone by. He had said with a soft laugh, that he was not certain how he could fit all he wanted to teach into a single year. What truly made him a great teacher was how much he clearly loved what he taught.

I sat there for a moment in wonder; realizing that the bell sounding was like being in the middle of of an incredible book, entranced and unable to turn away and then suddenly having the book taken away until tomorrow. I shook my head in amazement, meeting Margret's astounded gaze as we stood from our seats, book bags over our shoulders as we prepared to leave. There was a huge crowd around Ariston. Those of the students whom were bold enough, were talking to Ariston, a few of the girls even flirting with him. Their attempts sent an odd and burning feeling through me. Ariston, however, seemed not to notice their attempts, and he was glancing to me from time to time when he was able. I walked over to him when he was free, still lost in astonishment at the way he taught.

"That was... an absolutely amazing class; you are an incredible teacher." I told him in all honesty, he smiled.

"Thank you, I had a great tutor." He said.

"Who was that?" I asked.

"My sister; she is undoubtedly the greatest mind of all time." He said, looking into my eyes.

I was going to ask who she was, but I could not seem to form words or even thoughts until he looked away from me for a moment, nodding politely to a passing student as she said goodbye before meeting my eyes again. Looking into his eyes, through that silence, I could feel a kind of intuition. As though those sky blue eyes held the answers I sought, and the keys to everything that was to come. I tried to get my thoughts in order, to find a way out of this daze.

"I have to get to my next class." I told Ariston softly.

"I will see you tomorrow." Ariston told me.

I was once again trapped in his gaze until finally, I do not know how, I tore myself away from his ancient eyes and began walking, until I heard his voice; the sound seemed to go right to something which made me stay.

"Miss Vandenberg?" I smiled breathlessly, finding the formality of what he called me somewhat ridiculous. I turned around to face him. "Will you be going to the Stables later?" Ariston asked, I nodded.

"After school." I told him.

"I will see you there then. Vrontos needs to be ridden." He said, I smiled and nodded.

"I will see you then." I told him.

I walked out of the classroom and towards my next class, the same smile still on my lips as my thoughts went through everything this day has brought. I saw Aaron and we walked towards each other.

"I was just coming to find you." He said before giving me a peck on the lips. "How was class?"

"It was amazing, Ariston is an incredible teacher." I told him as he took my hand. We began walking together to our next class as I went on with my words. "He is so in depth, he speaks as if he was there and is telling these historic events from what he witnessed. You are going to enjoy his class."

Aaron made no reply. He was silent for a time and I became lost in my own thoughts; it felt like something was trying to break though my subconscious, some important truth. It was so frustrating, feeling the answers are right there, like I almost have them but they are just out of reach.

"So I was thinking about tonight," Aaron said.

"Tonight?" I asked, startled from my thoughts.

"Our date?" Aaron said with a raised eyebrow.

"Oh, of course, I am sorry." I said to him apologetically. "Where are we going?" I asked as I tried to focus on what he was saying.

"I have reservations at the sushi place we like." He said.

"Sounds great." I told him with a smile before my mind inevitably drifted to Ariston once again.

* * *

**Author's Note: And for this Sunday night, I am happy to share this with you! I do hope you enjoy it, and perhaps leave me a review with what you think ;)**

**Time for Dexter! Have a great night my friends!**

**Love: Jasmine**


	5. Chapter Three: Through the Fog

**Chapter 3**

**Through the Fog  
**

**"If I had a flower for every time I thought of you...I could walk through my garden forever."**

**Alfred Tennyson**

The day flew by as if my mind and body were in two different places at once; my body went through the actions of the day, while my mind was caught up within... so many different things, none of which I could figure out. I felt like in one day, or only half of one, the very reality I had lived my life within was altered, and I was shaken to say the least. Who was that darkness? How did I know it had been after me? Were their going to be others coming for me? And why in the hell was I so calm about this? The fact that I was able to keep my composure when I knew I was in danger, was certainly more disturbing than the terror my soul should be shaking with. Yet those dearest to me, mainly Margret, could tell something was off with me. My dear friend would keep giving me questioning looks, clearly worried about me, and I would shrug and smile as if nothing was wrong. Why was I keeping this a secret?

While eating lunch in the grand room set up for the students, I felt a warmth within me and I smiled as I looked right at Ariston who stood with tray in hand half way across the room. He gave me a nod in greeting and what I witnessed within his eyes gave me another line of thought which consumed my mind. What happened to his wife? How did she get taken from him? Oh there were so many things I needed to know about him if I were to help him. A thought ran through my mind, and I realized that somehow, I would find my answers if I kept my promise, which I would do without question. Ariston is the answer; with every fiber of my being I wanted to figure out what that meant for me.

He watched me for a moment more as I gazed upon him; and when those endless hours had passed within his gaze and he turned away I came to understand they had only been mere seconds_. _I was in luck since Aaron did not notice the seemingly brief exchange between Ariston and I; the last thing I desired was another episode of Aaron's jealousy. I had too much to figure out. Ariston was my only chance to discover the truth.

I caught a few glimpses of Ariston throughout the day, the draw I feel with him always showing me where he was when he was near. The looks that were exchanged, the way he would search my eyes as we smiled to each other... it added yet ANOTHER thing to figure out to my already lengthy list of questions teasing my mind. Soon after, we would go our ways as I anxiously awaited our next meeting at the stables. It was more than difficult to focus on my other classes, I could not stop thinking of Ariston no matter what I did. When school was finally over, I made my way with Margret to our apartment, where I quickly changed and ran to the Stables at top speed.

When I neared the property, I walked the path which wound between the evergreen paddocks. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, knowing that I needed to be focused if I was going to be riding a half-tun animal with a mind of its own. To ride, you need to be in the moment, feeling everything the horse does, every movement, every change in their stride and change of composer. If you do this properly, then accents can be avoided... most of the time at least. My father taught me that there are two ways to ride; the first is in _making_ the horse do what you want. The second, which can be more difficult for those with no patience, is to work _with_ the horse and choose to honor the animal as you wish to be honored by them. Working with a horse in such a way, when that partnership and mutual respect is achieved... there is nothing that could hope to compare. My father is a huge fan of Buck Brannaman's way of horsemanship. It was the same way his mother taught him to be with horses, and people for that matter. "It is amazing the things horses will teach you about life." My father has always said, and I have found him to be correct, and not only about that.

I closed my eyes as an ache became prominent within my soul. I wished I could see my father; we had seen each other only three days ago at the airport, yet I missed him terribly already. Not to mention my mother; my dear, wonderful, songbird of a mother. I would not see them in person until my birthday in two months time, not to mention my beloved grandmother Marie. A whinny made me look towards of a paddock in the distance; Vrontos was nodding his head towards me in greeting, the white stallion's main flowing as he did so. I smiled, once again, all I could think of was Ariston; it was as though his sky blue eyes were floating in front of my own, making me shake my head as a smile found its way to my heart, then proceeding to appear on my face.

The Stables were abuzz at this time of day, as they always are right after school. Students and their horses filled the Stables as they either tacked or untacked their horses. I greeted everyone I passed as I made my way to the tack room, trying to keep out of the way as people rushed to be ready in time for their lessons. Today there was a group lesson on the cross country field. I prefer learning from my father and grandmother, so I do not usually learn from the instructors here.

I changed into my riding breeches and tall boots, then went to Willow's stall to find her laying down taking a nap. I laughed, that horse can fall asleep anywhere, it is part of her charm. I went into the stall, with halter in hand, and she opened her eyes and pushed herself to her feet, shaking the shavings from her gray fur with her ears forward.

"Hey, girl." I said as I put her halter on, kissing her between her dark eyes as I stroked her cheek, realizing that I had done the same thing Ariston had done this morning with Vrontos.

I led Willow out of her stall and brought her to the portion of the Stables that was for tacking up; it has twenty tacking stalls with cross ties. I brought Willow into one and hooked the cross ties to the rings on either side of her halter, before getting her tack and brushes from the tack room.

I kept my mind on my work, knowing that if I were to let it stray, even for a moments time, I would start thinking about when Ariston would arrive. Thoughts like those were liable to drive me mad. After the gray mare was brushed from head to hoof, I put the saddle pads and saddle on her back. Willow pined her ears back when I tightened the double elastic girth, even the sweetest horses do so.

"Sorry, girl." I said to her, patting her side when I was done. After putting her bridle and open front boots on, I slid my worn gloves onto my hands and placed my helmet on my head and then fastened the chinstrap. I walked Willow out of the Stables and to the mounting block to climb onto the saddle.

We walked down the long path to the huge two-acre arena, passing three beautiful, green paddocks on the way. Vrontos was in the third paddock on the left, I smiled to the horse and he whinnied and nodded his head when he saw me. The footing of the two-acre arena is made up of recycled tires and carpet padding that has been shredded, it makes for amazing footing. I took a deep breath and focused, then shortened up the reins, squeezed with my legs and began to post the trot as we entered and made a circle.

* * *

I was smiling, feeling relaxed and refreshed, when we finished. Willow is a wonderful mover and a beautiful jumper; we only jumped 3' today, but my goodness it was fun! I walked around the Cross-Country field in the back to cool her out, enjoying the fresh air and sunshine as I did so. When Willow's breathing was back to normal, we made our way back up the path to the Stables. I hopped off her back and led her inside. I went to the same tacking stall and removed the mares bridle and put on her halter, then attached the cross ties as always. I rinsed off her bit then went back over to Willow.

I removed the rest of her tack, and was undoing her last open front boot when I heard the voice that, even though I would not admit it to myself, I had been waiting all day to hear again.

"Hello, Mera." My heart beat faster at the sound of his voice. I turned my head and looked up to the beautiful man standing in front of the tacking stall with a smile on his face.

"Hello, Ariston." I said, smiling to him as I stood up as that same inexplicable feeling flowed through me.

"Is this your horse?" He asked, gesturing to Willow.

"I wish; I cannot afford one of my own." I told him as I went up to Willow and Ariston. I stood so that my shoulder was under Willow's neck as I stroked her face. "This is Willow. Her owner is my best friend Margret; she lets me ride her every other day."

"Have you already ridden?" Ariston asked.

"Yes, I have. She was great as always." I said, looking at Willow. I knew that I would be able to think more clearly if I was not looking directly at Ariston. That, however, was not an easy task. His presence alone makes it difficult to think straight.

Ariston let Willow sniff his hand then gently ran his hand over her face. I looked up to him and watched him for a time, seeing the smile that graced his perfect features. Ariston is different around horses; he connects with them, some of the sadness leaving his beautiful eyes. I know that feeling, it comes from being around horses your entire life, from loving them. Anyone who says dogs are mans best friend, obviously knows nothing about horses.

I noticed that Ariston was wearing a gray, short sleeve, crewneck shirt. It fit him nicely, even though it was not tightly fitted. What amazed me were the muscles in his arms, they were, like everything else about him, flawless and perfectly sized. Ariston's fingers brushed against the arm I had wrapped around Willow's nose and I gasped in surprise, my heart jumping out of my chest as I felt the storm flash through me again. I heard the same sound from Ariston as our eyes met; I suppose he was not planning on touching my skin, yet those gentle fingers lingered on my forearm. We were close, looking into each other's eyes in silent fascination.

The way Ariston gazed into my eyes... it seemed that we were both trying to pry secrets from the other. For one brief moment his eyes were no longer guarded, he seemed like an open book, a book I wanted to read over and over again until I had it memorized back to front. His lips parted as if to say something but no words came out. I saw something in Ariston's eyes before he put his guard up and suddenly took a step away, removing his fingers from my forearm while the tingle remained as before. He clasped his hands behind his back, and I watched his posture become more rigged; he kept his face from betraying emotions.

"Where is Vrontos?" Ariston asked, his tone polite. My breath was gone, my mind lost in confusion; when I found what was left of my voice, I answered his question.

"In the third field, out back to the left." I told him, he nodded his thanks and walked away. I stood there for a moment, trying to collect what was left of my thoughts while wondering what had just happened, why he would retract from me as he did.

I attached a lead to Willow's halter and brought her out to the wash rack, needing to clear my mind. While I sprayed her down, washing off the sweat, I saw Ariston walk past with Vrontos, he glanced at me once before entering the Stables. One thing I had noticed while watching him teach class and seeing him around the school was the unearthly grace in his movements. Each move he makes flows into the next, seemingly without pause. I used the sweat-scraper on Willow to remove the excess water; then I dried her face, belly and legs with a towel.

It was such a beautiful day, that I decided to graze Willow out in the sun until her coat was dry, instead of putting her back in her stall right away. I walked down past the paddocks, with the gray mare at my side, and brought her to the cross-country field. I sat in the grass out of the way, while I watched students jump their horses over the rugged jumps.

Jumps of every shape and size were set up in the five acre field, some so small I could step over them and others taller than I am. There were banks and drops to jump off of and onto, as well as three water features to canter through with jumps in two of them, both in and out of the forest. Some of the jumps were shaped like benches and stairs while others were thick logs, fences, brush, an Arrow Head and other classic-cross country jumps.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw a shining white stallion entering the field. My head snapped around at once to see Ariston riding into the field on Vrontos. Ariston's eyes met mine and he smiled and nodded to me before getting a trot. I sat there in the grass and watched Ariston warm Vrontos up as Willow happily ate grass a few feet from me. I could not take my eyes off of Ariston. He was a skilled rider to say the least; one worthy of the extraordinary horse he rode, that much was obvious. Ariston got a canter; both horse and rider moving with the same unearthly fluidity while working together flawlessly. I guess it is true what they say about animals and their owners being alike._ What a pair they make, both gleaming in the sunlight_.

Ariston cantered Vrontos over a two-foot log that Tina Darie had jumped a few minutes beforehand. They jumped with such grace. I watched them intently as they began jumping larger jumps, still working together flawlessly. Not long after, they were soaring over jumps that were taller than I am with the greatest of ease. They cantered through the forest, then reemerged through the water complex; they jumped down into the water over a bench and splashing into the water, then over a bounce and galloping through the water and jumping out the other end. Even from this distance, the entire time they jumped, Ariston's smile and Vrontos' excitement were more than visible.

Twenty minutes later, Ariston brought Vrontos to a walk, neither one of them were breathing heavily to my surprise. Ariston had a peaceful smile on his face, it brought me such joy to see it. Ariston gave his horse a pat on the neck as he walked Vrontos over to me, his eyes meeting mine as he almost seemed to apologize as he watched me.

"That was amazing, I have never seen anyone ride like that." I said as I looked up to him, he smiled.

"Years of practice." Ariston said as he stroked Vrontos' neck. "Would you care to join us as I cool him out?" I did not even have to think twice.

"I would love to." I told him.

I brought Willow's head up from the grass, making reins out of the long lead line, before vaulting onto her bare back. It feels so natural to ride a horse like this, old fashioned. I squeezed Willow gently and we began to walk side by side with Ariston and Vrontos. I looked up to Ariston, who was easily two feet above me on Vrontos' back. Ariston gave me another soft smile which I returned. _T__his man is such a mystery to me,_ I thought, even though we had only met half a day beforehand, I had never felt this mystified by anyone in my life. I decided to speak, wanting to know more about him.

"I take it you have ridden your whole life?" I asked Ariston, looking upon him. He was clearly surprised by my question.

"Yes I have." He answered. "How did you guess that?"

"I see it in the way you are with horses," I told him. "You are at peace around them. You feel a connection with them, and I know how that is."

"What of you?" Ariston asked, watching me as he awaited my answer.

"My father had me on a horse before I could walk." I said with a laugh, he chuckled with me. "He is the manager of a barn in my hometown, he taught me everything I know about horses. He has a real way with them; my mother says I am just like him in that respect."

"He sounds like a good man." Ariston said as we walked on the horses.

"He is," I told him in all honesty. I smiled thinking of my father. "Even though he works most of the time, he is always there for me. I am very grateful to him and my mother for all that they have done for me. We are certainly not even close to being rich, but we have each other, and that is enough." I rarely share this much of my life in one day with anyone, but I feel comfortable with around Ariston and... I realized in that moment just how much I wanted him to understand me, as much as I want to know him.

Ariston looked to me and smiled, I could see respect in his eyes.

"Do you have any brothers or sisters?" He asked.

"Margret is like a sister to me, but besides that I have none; it has always been just my parents and I." I told him. "And you, what of your family?" I asked, he smiled.

"I have a _very_ large family, with many brothers and sisters, cousins and a couple of aunts and uncles and the like." Ariston told me. "We are a very close-knit group. I am closest with my father and my stepmother; and my daughter of course, as well as quite a few of my countless siblings. My family is everything to me." I smiled at his values, though I had to raise an eyebrow at his words

"Countless?" I asked him, he laughed.

"That, is a very long story." He told me, I nodded.

"What about your birth mother?" I asked.

"She died many years ago." He said, not looking at me. "She was a good woman; she put up with me in my youth, and trust me when I say that says more than enough about her character." He let out a laugh and I smiled.

"You must miss her." It was not a question.

"Very much so." He told me.

"I know how hard it is to lose someone you love." I said to him.

"Who was it?" Ariston asked with curiosity as he looked into my eyes.

"My grandfather," I told him. He sighed and closed his eyes for a moment. "We were very close."

"When?" He asked.

"He died a year and a half ago." I told him.

"I am sorry to hear that." I could hear in his voice that he meant it; and something I could only describe as empathy visibly weighed on his heart. "Your grandmother?"

"Losing him, it was definitely hard on her," I told him. "She lives with us in Pescadero for now. But she is strong and is getting through these days without him." He nodded, taking a deep breath.

We were silent as we made our way back to the Stables. I did not fail to notice that all eyes were on Ariston and I as we rode side by side. We slid off our horses when we reached the Stables, leading Vrontos and Willow. I walked with Ariston as he put Vrontos on the cross ties and began untacking him.

"I will be back." I told Ariston, who gave a nod.

I brought Willow to her stall then quickly went back to the tacking stall. Ariston already had his tack off of his horse and was brushing Vrontos down. Ariston smiled to me then continued brushing. When he finished, he went over to a bag by his tack and brought forth two carrots that were flawless in color and size. Ariston handed one to me with a smile before he fed the other to a very happy Vrontos, who chewed it down quickly.

"Thank you." I said and took a bite of the carrot, I was famished and it was absolutely juicy and delicious. Ariston looked at me eating the carrot and laughed out loud. "What?" I asked after I swallowed, not understanding his outburst.

"That was for Willow," Ariston said with a laugh. I blushed in embarrassment.

"Sorry, I guess I am hungry." I told him.

"It is alright." He said then picked up an apple out of the same bag and tossed it to me. "For you." He said. I caught it with ease and he tossed me another. "For Willow."

"I have known you for a day and you are already feeding me." I said, making the both of us laugh as he shrugged.

"I do not mind." He replied with a smile, one which I returned in that moment.

"Thank you." I told him again and took a bite of the apple, it was juicy and perfectly crisp and sweet. "Where did you get these from?" I asked Ariston.

"It was a gift from my brother-in-law, not a purchase. He is a farmer, among other things, and he gifted these to me." Ariston replied as he fed an apple to Vrontos, who ate it whole, before taking a bite of his own apple, one so crisp I could hear it break from hear.

Ariston slipped the bridle onto his wrist and picked up his saddle, holding it to his body as he grasped the pads in his hand. I had to admire his ability to multitask, and also the craftsmanship of his tack. The leather was of the highest quality and perfectly stitched, while the pads were made of a fine fabric with the same flawless stitching. Ariston looked at his brush box and seemed to suddenly realize that with the apple in his hand, he was one arm short. I smiled at the face he made, a slight frown appearing.

"May I help you with the brush box?" I asked him, he smiled and nodded.

"Thank you." Ariston said, feeding the core of his apple to Vrontos.

I picked up the wooden box and walked with him out to his trailer in silence. After we placed his tack in his beautiful trailer's tack room, a far away look came into Ariston's eyes and after a moment he nodded ever so slightly. Ariston looked back to me, an apology already within his gaze.

"I am afraid I must go. If it does not inconvenience you, would you be able to place Vrontos back in his paddock?" Ariston asked. I could hear in his voice that he did not like bothering me with this task, but he needed to go.

"It is no inconvenience; I would be happy to." I assured him with a smile.

He stood there for a moment, looking into my eyes. He took my hand and held it in both of his, and I once again felt the storm, the connection to this mysterious man.

"Thank you, I will make it up to you." Ariston promised with a smile. I smiled and nodded, he kissed my hand and after a moment, he walked away. I watched him until he was out of sight.

I made my way back into the Stables, a million thoughts running through my mind, a million questions. I wondered where Ariston went, what he was doing there and when I would see him again. Those were only a few of the questions running through my mind, the easy ones. I tried not to think about the harder ones, not now, not here. I needed to focus on what I was doing, save those thoughts for later today, when I could be alone... I groaned as I realized I had a date with Aaron. I could not cancel, and truth be told, I needed to get away from my thoughts, though ridding my mind of Ariston was going to be trying enough.

I went to Vrontos, attached his lead to his halter then undid the cross ties. Vrontos walked by my side out of the Stables. I stroked the beautiful animal as we walked, my mind on how Ariston was with him. I sighed and shook my head, _I have to stop thinking about Ariston, _I told to myself. _Why?_ A part of me asked, and for a long moment in time, I could not find an answer.

"What is it about him that makes me feel like this?" I asked, half to the horse and half to myself. "I only met him today."

I shook my head and put the horse in his paddock before heading in to do the stable work with Heather, Olivia and Ella. A sadness was within my soul as I thought of who was missing, while wondering how Nell was doing. Hunter was missing from school today, I could only guess he was trying to find a way to convince his girlfriend to come back, either that or trying to accept that she is gone, and not going to return.

* * *

By 7:30pm, I was already showered and dried off, with a towel wrapped around my body while my head was too full to think. I had returned around 6pm, spending some time with Margret before telling her I was going to study; she could tell I needed time alone. I went into my closet and shut the door, needing the darkness to think and try to sort through all that had happened. I gave Aaron a call just to distract myself; even if I was confused about where our relationship was headed, it did not make three years of friendship slip away in the blink of an eye. He meant something to me, and that was something I could not just give up on so easily. I made an excuse and hung up after a half hour, still trying to find a way out of this fog I seemed to be in. I did not think a single bit of my life makes sense recently, and a part of that scared me, while the other part of me was ready for new... everything. I stayed in there, the darkness somewhat fitting since I felt I was lost in the dark, a place full of arcane mysteries which constantly teased me with truths everything within me searched for. No matter what I did, I could not see through the fog of my mind. Clarity seemed so close at hand, but I could not grasp onto what it was.

After checking the time, I took a long breath, pushing myself to my feet and out of the darkness of my mind and into a much needed shower. Now that I was drying off, I went into my closet again, with the light on. I went one by one through the dresses I owned, sighing in exasperation, unhappy with the limited selection I had to work with. Aaron was to arrive in less then an hour and I had nothing that worked. I knew this frustration had to do with more than the clothing I had. I threw my hands up in exasperation, and a few moments later the answer came to me; the answer to this fashion dilemma was so blatantly obvious that I buried my head within my palms. Even though it was not the answer to everything, having found one solution today gave me an amount peace and relief.

"Margret, can I borrow something to wear?" I called out the question.

"Of course, you know you don't have to ask. Me closet es su closet." She said from her bedroom, I laughed as I strolled through the living room.

"I just feel odd not asking; they are your clothes after all." I told her as I walked into her room to find her sitting on her bed watching some movie in Russian, her native tongue, on her 46" flat screen. She gave me a smile, waving off my comment.

Margret's bedroom is as feminine as can be. Everything is either pink, purple or yellow, the shades working perfectly together with Margret's eye for design. I smiled and shook my head as I went into her closet. Unlike my closet, Margret's is filled to the brim and always looks like it is about to burst no matter how she organizes it. There were about a dozen big bags on the floor, a very small shopping for her.

"Went shopping again I see?" I called the question out to her.

"I could not help myself." Margret said.

I went to her racks and looked through her stunning dresses, each one of them were beautiful and knowing her, extremely expensive. I still cannot believe we are the same size. What are the chances of being the same size as a Russian heiress who happens to have wonderful taste in fashion? I heard Margret walk into her closet and stand by me, watching for the perfect thing for me to wear as is her way.

"Is Aaron taking you out tonight?" Margret asked from the doorway behind me.

"Yes," I replied looking through the dresses. "Ariston is taking me out to dinner and," I stopped short and closed my eyes. "Did I just say what I think I said?"

"Yup, you said Ariston, not Aaron." She told me, I could hear the smile in her voice. I sighed and shook my head. _What is wrong with me?_ "That is the third time tonight you have said his name by accident." Margret informed me, _A__s if I did not already know that._ I looked at her, my eyes pleading.

"Please, do not tell Aaron." I begged her. "I do not know what this is, and until I do, I do not want Aaron to know. I do not want to hurt him."

"Don't worry, I won't tell him, I promise." Margret said with her smile.

"Thank you." I said as relief filled me.

"What are sisters for?" She said as she hugged me. She let me go and looked at the dresses, then pulled out a purple, knee length dress. It was form fitted and had a high neck in the front and a scoop back, classy but still sexy.

"This one is perfect for you; Aaron will love it!" Margret announced with pride. I took it from her and she picked up a pair of black, jeweled high heels. "With these," And handed me a bracelet, necklace and a purse. "And these." She said smiling. All of the items were designer of course, all of her clothes are.

I smiled my thanks and went into my room and put them on. I looked in the full length mirror when I was dressed; the outfit looked amazing of course, Margret has great taste. I went out and Margret smiled, proud of her work as she had me twirl for her, bringing a smile to my face.

"Come with me, I will put up your hair." She said with a smile.

I followed her into her bedroom, where she sat me down in front of a mirror, and pinned my hair up into a soft bun in a way that the pins did not show.

"There, perfect." I had to agree with her on that. It was the final touch; I wore no makeup, I never wear makeup. I shook my head as I turned around to face Margret.

"I do not know why I even have a closet, I always end up wearing your clothes anyway." I said with a laugh. Margret's eyes sparkled with an idea.

"Of course! Why didn't I think of this before?" She exclaimed, wide eyed.

"Think of what?" I asked her.

"We should share closets!" Margret said, as if it were obvious. "Like you said, you always end up wearing my clothing and I love sharing with you. I could fill both closets with clothes and we can share them! Oh it's perfect! I can fit twice as much, which means more shopping for us! What do you think?" She asked excitedly. I shook my head laughing.

"I think you are the most kind, generous and brilliant sister anyone could ever ask for." I told her. I got up and hugged her tightly. "Thank you." I cannot count the number of times I have said this to her, a million perhaps, _this makes a million and one then._

"We are _so_ going shopping!" She said as we let each other go.

"What about the Stables? And Willow?" I asked.

"She gets ridden everyday, and you jumped her today so she has earned a day off, and so have you with how much you work. You and I have earned a day of shopping!" She said, her eyes sparkling. Just then I heard a knock on the door.

"Alright, tomorrow." I said excitedly. "Can you get the door while I get my jacket?"

"Sure." Margret said with a smile. I walked into my room as she opened the door.

"Hey Aaron, Mera will be right out, she is just grabbing her coat." I heard as I picked up my black trench coat, one of my favorite things I own, a true 'must have' for any woman's wardrobe.

"Alright." I heard Aaron's reply.

I walked out of my bedroom with my coat on but open. Aaron stood on near the door wearing a tan suit, his dress shirt had the first two buttons undone and his sandy hair was combed back. He looked very handsome. He looked me over with wide eyes.

"Wow, you look... beautiful." He said.

"Thank you, you look very handsome." I told him, walking up to him and placing a kiss on his cheek.

"Are you ready?" Aaron asked with a smile on his lips.

"I just need to get my purse," I turned around to see it hanging by its strap from Margret's finger. "Thank you." I said, kissing her cheek.

"Don't forget about tomorrow." She said.

"Of course not!" I replied, smiling. Aaron held his arm out and I chuckled, winding my arm through his as he led me out of the apartment.

"What was that all about with Margret?" He asked in the elevator. I laughed and shook my head.

"I made a comment about wondering why I have a closet when I am always wearing her clothing, and she decided that we should share closets, and that she would stock them both. We are going out shopping tomorrow." I told him, Aaron laughed.

"So that is why she was so excited. She really is something." He said with a smile.

"I could not agree more." I smiled as the doors opened with a ding. We made our way outside, where his silver Lincoln Navigator was awaiting us. We got in and he drove us off; he seemed to be thinking something over for a time.

"I would buy you things if you would let me." Aaron commented. I looked at him, his face dimly lit by the dashboard lights. He knew my family was not able to give me the kinds of things he was used to having, and I knew he wanted to take care of me, but I have never felt comfortable with him spending money on me.

"I just do not feel right about it." I told him, hoping he would understand.

"But you are okay with Margret buying you things?" He asked. I laughed and shook my head.

"Not exactly, but do you honestly think she would take no for an answer?" I asked, he laughed.

"You're right." He said with a playful smile. "Perhaps I should be more like Margret." I laughed.

"Except for your jealousy issues, you are just fine the way you are. I do not want you to change." I told him, he smiled to me.

We arrived at the restaurant a half hour later. It is situated in the center of the town of Blueridge, Maine. It is a stone building with old time charm and a sign that says **Tarresta's**. They serve a wide variety of foods, and their sushi is delectable. The valet opened my door for me and offered me his hand to help me out. Aaron quickly got out and walked around to take my hand. We walked into the charming restaurant and Aaron gave his name to the hostess, who then showed us to our table. The restaurant is a beautiful, romantic, little place. The rooms are lit by candles and twinkle lights, as soft music floats through the air. The tables are covered with red tablecloths, white napkins and red roses in crystal vases. Aaron took me here for our first date two years ago.

Aaron held my chair out for me before taking his own seat. We looked at the menus; as I tried to decide what to get, a question came to my mind.

"How did you like history?" I had to ask him, he frowned and sighed.

"I have to admit, that he _is _a good teacher. I still do not like him though." He said the last part under his breath.

"You do not even know him." I told Aaron. "I believe there is a saying about a book and a cover that covers this well." I said with a smile. Aaron smiled and shook his head. "You know I am always right. Must I prove it again?" I asked teasingly, trying to improve the mood.

"I don't like the way he looks at you." Aaron told me, I sighed. "I am just being,"

"Jealous." I stated.

"Protective." He corrected.

"Aaron, you are jealous." I told him, my smile now gone.

"Should I be?" He asked, looking into my eyes.

"You become jealous every time I so much as talk to another guy." I said, my irritation slipping out, I could not keep my feelings bottled up any longer and now they were bursting forth. "That is why I have no friends that are men except for Jack, and that is only because you know that he has no interest in me. I do not like the fact that you seem to decide whom I am around more than I do. Aaron, it is my life, and you most _certainly_ are not my father." Aaron was clearly taken aback.

"Where is this coming from?" He asked in shock. I was calmer now that I said what I needed to say. I felt guilty for snapping at him, but I could not keep it inside any longer.

"This has bothered me for quite a while now; I should have said something sooner." I told him. "This is my life and I decide who is in it, not you. I may be your girlfriend but I need some freedom. I cannot handle your constant jealousy... it is too much." Aaron's face softened and he reached across the table and held my hand.

"I am so sorry," He apologized, I could see and hear his sincerity. "I never meant to control you, and I didn't know my jealousy took such a toll on you. I just cannot stand the thought of losing you; you mean far too much to me to be able to stand the thought. I will work on my issues, I will be better, just please be patient with me." He pleaded. I sighed and looked into his sage green eyes, not able to stand the hurt I saw there.

"I forgive you." I told him, he smiled.

"I love you." He said, looking into my eyes.

I smiled, but at that moment... I could not make myself say it back; I opened my lips but I could not get those three words out, no matter how hard I tried.

"Me too." I said and quickly looked back down at the menu.

I raised the menu so that he could not see my face. _What is wrong with me?_ I wondered. Whatever was trying to break through my subconscious before was back, nagging at me, pulling at every bit of my soul as I did my utmost to ignore it.

We ordered soon after, and then Aaron got up and held his hand out to me.

"Dance with me?" He asked. I smiled and took his hand. He led me to the dance floor and held me close as we slow danced. I enjoyed it, his cheek resting against mine as we held each other and swayed to the slow music.

"I will be better for you. I love you Mera, and I will be the man you need me to be." Aaron promised.

"I know." I kissed his cheek and we slow danced until the food arrived.

* * *

I looked out the window in silence as Aaron drove us up to the cliffs. We always go there whenever we go to Tarresta's; we kiss for a bit and look at the city lights. He always playfully tries to get lucky, but respectfully stops when I say no, as I have each and every time. I know he wants me, he always has, but I was not ready to give myself to him yet. I was not sure if I ever would be, all I knew was that I was not ready for it now.

When we arrived, Aaron turned off the engine but kept the radio on. A soft, romantic song played as he reached over and stroked my arm softly; I looked at him, there was tenderness in his eyes and a slight smile on his lips. I gazed into his eyes, wishing I could feel what he felt for me.

"Kiss me." He said.

I realized that I could use the distraction, I leaned over and kissed him. We began making out, but I soon realized that it was not like it usually is. I felt... nothing, no sparks, no feelings that make me giggle. I opened my eyes as we kissed and pulled away for a moment, wondering what was wrong... in the next moment I held him closer and kissed him deeper, trying to feel something, to feel even an ounce of the emotion I felt when I touched Ariston today. My hand gripped onto Aaron's hair, wondering why when I kissed him I was thinking of someone else. _It could not all be gone, there has to be something left between us, doesn't there?_

Aaron's arms tightened around me, a sound coming from deep in his throat as he clutched onto me. When his hands started to explore my body I pulled away; his touch felt wrong, _everything is wrong._ It was just like when he kissed me goodbye today in front of Ariston; I just wanted out of this, no part of me wanted to go further. Aaron started kissing my neck when I pushed him back.

"Stop." I said, and he did at once. I pulled away while looking at him. He was out of breath, his eyes glazed over with desire as he looked upon me with a smile.

Even though I knew that Aaron would never touch me against my will, it scared me to see the desire in his eyes at that moment.

"What's wrong?" Aaron asked, still out of breath and wanting more.

"I do not want _that_." I said, his eyes became apologetic.

"I'm sorry. When you kissed me like that, I thought..." Aaron said. He shook his head, trying to calm his breathing. "I'm sorry." He said again.

"It is not your fault." I told him, looking away from him and out my window. He touched my shoulder.

"What's wrong?" Aaron asked.

I shook my head and looked at him with tears in my eyes. The desire was gone from his eyes when he saw my tears. He put his arms around me and held me, stroking my hair as I cried, trying despreatly to breathe around the tennis ball in my throat, my inhales coming to me in stuttered gasps.

"Whatever it is, it's okay." He said, kissing my hair. "I am here for you." At one time that would have meant something to me.

_ How can it be gone? All of it gone in one day?_ I know I felt something when he kissed me last night... or at least I thought I had. _How can all of that be gone?_ I could not seem to stop crying.

"What can I do to make it better?" Aaron asked. I was silent for a minute before I spoke.

"Promise me something Aaron." I said.

"Anything." He said at once.

"Promise me that no matter what is to come, we will always be friends. I could not bare to lose our friendship." I said. He was silent for a moment.

"I promise." He said quietly.

"Thank you." I said. He kissed the top of my head. I took a deep breath and got out of his embrace, sitting back in my seat. "Could you take me home?" I asked him.

He nodded and started up the car. We were silent on the way back, I could not look him in the eyes. One important question echoed through my mind; _What does this mean for us?_

My thoughts somehow drifted to Ariston. _If he had held me like Aaron did, if he kissed me like that, his hands exploring my body, would I have said no to him?_ I thought of what his touch felt like today, of what his eyes did to me, and knew the answer beyond the shadow of a doubt. _I would not have said no; I would have begged him to never stop touching me.  
_

"Do you want me to walk you in?" Aaron asked. I had not noticed that we were on campus again. I looked out my window to see that we were by the rear of the building, right by the stained glass doors.

"No, I will be fine." I said quietly.

"Can I see you tomorrow? Outside of school I mean?" He asked.

"I need some time to think," I told him.

I looked at him for the first time since we left the cliffs, his eyes were unreadable, his face blank though the sadness within his eyes was evident. I leaned over and hugged him. He held me tight and kissed my cheek. I let go and so did he as I moved back from him.

"I love you, Mera." Aaron said to me, looking deep into my eyes.

"I know." I told him. I grabbed my purse and got out of the car. I heard his car leave as I walked towards my dorm, I did not have the will to look back.

I went inside and made my way up to my apartment, my mind in a haze as I somehow kept my tears in. I went through the door to Margret and I's apartment and shut it, my mind still scattered, worried.

"So how was the date?" Margret asked in her cheery tone from the couch. I turned around right as my tears began to fall; she stopped smiling, then flew off the couch and ran to me, and held me tight.

"I could not say it back; I felt nothing." Was all I could say as the tears came again. Margret walked me over to the couch and sat us down.

"What is the matter? " Margret asked me, I shook my head. "Mera, talk to me." Her voice was soothing. I took a deep, shaky breath.

"Aaron said he loved me tonight and I could not say it back, I could not get the words out. Then, when he kissed me, I felt nothing. It's gone, it's all gone." I said to her, tears rolling down my face. She held me and I clutched onto her as I leaned into her side.

"It is going to be alright, everything is going to be alright." Margret soothed as she held me, though I had no idea how it would be after tonight.

* * *

**Author's Note: A beautiful and yet sad chapter. I hope you enjoyed! As always, I adore reviews ;) Hopefully Chapter 4 shall be ready soon!  
**

**Jasmine**


	6. Chapter Four: Clarity and Confusion

**Chapter 4**

**Clarity and Confusion  
**

**"A loving heart is the beginning of all knowledge."**

**Thomas Carlyle**

No part of me wanted to leave my bed in the morning; the day ahead was not something I wished to face. It was not even close to being easy to handle as thoughts from last night came to me, making my head spin, until I finally found a way to get it under control. I could not think of everything at once without losing what was left of my sanity, so I broke it down into the major events of yesterday.

**First:** I met the most beautiful man I have ever seen yesterday and felt something I never imagined existed. I am still amazed by Ariston, and that sadness within his eyes still twists at something deep within me. I hate the thought of him being in pain. I did not pretend to be able to understand the draw I felt towards him, or why he looks at me the way he does, as if my eyes hold the mysteries to the universe. I wished I knew why he was the one I wanted to turn to with all of this.

**Second:** The darkness I felt and the change it provoked within me. _What could that have been? Why was it so instinctual that the change within me was that instantaneous?_ The instinct that took over was indescribable; it was strange, to feel in control of something so overwhelming. I could still feel some of that... warrior, I do not know what else to call it, within me. Other than a few self-defense classes I took at one time, I have had no training. But yesterday... I felt as if I had been extensively trained in the arts of war, and my battle reflexes were kicking in; I felt that I was born for it. I have always felt strength within me; but this felt like an explosion of strength and... power. Something within me was trying to break free, and what worried me was that I felt how it was going to change me, and if I would be able to control it.

_ Why do I accept this so easily? Why does it feel like a part of me?_

I wished that I had someone I could practice with, so that I could better understand the extent of whatever is within me._  
_

**Third:** What happened with Aaron last night. I still can hardly believe it; everything Aaron and I have had for nearly two years is gone. A part of me has known this was coming, so I could not understand why it would hurt like this. One thing was for certain; I did not want to lose him, but how could I justify staying with him? How can I be with someone I know I cannot love? Yet I would do it for him; even if I do not love Aaron as a boyfriend I still do care for him greatly as a friend. _The last thing I want to do is hurt him._

_ Being strong is the only option I have; I will figure this out._ _Breaking down again will do me no good and bring me no truths either._ I took a deep breath, _just breathe_, I told myself, _just breathe_. I got out of bed and went into the bathroom and brushed my teeth, then took a nice hot shower. For some reason thoughts of Ariston crept into my mind and made me smile, made the pain and guilt subside quite a bit. I sighed in relief.

I got out of the shower and dried off, humming softly to a beautiful song which flowed from my soul. Thoughts of Ariston brought me enough peace to get dressed. I wore a dusty rose-colored V-neck tee shirt with white shorts and leather gladiator sandals, then brushed my hair again and went into the living room and sat on the couch, still thinking of Ariston.

It suddenly hit me then, how wrong it was to think of Ariston when I am still Aaron's girlfriend. I sighed and shook my head, feeling guilty over so many things, wishing for clarity more than anything. I wondered how Aaron was doing. _I will have to ask Jack, they are close friends and roommates, he should know._

"Good morning." Margret greeted as she walked out of her room.

She was dressed in a denim miniskirt, a pink and white Gucci halter top and brown leather sandals that were like mine, only more expensive. Her hair was pulled out of her face by a butterfly clip, and she had some light, natural looking make up on. She looked beautiful, though she always did.

"Morning." I greeted with as much of a smile as I could muster for her.

She came and sat down next to me, wrapping her arm around my shoulders. I smiled a little at the gesture, looking into her eyes.

"How are you?" Margret asked, clearly worried for me.

"I am wondering how things can change so quickly." I answered. "It does not seem so long ago when I thought that someday, I would be marrying Aaron, and now... now I feel nothing except for guilt."

"Guilt?" She asked, I nodded.

"For not feeling what I should for Aaron." Was the only way I could explain it. "He is kind and wonderful and amazing. How many girls can say they have such a wonderful boyfriend? He loves me, I can see it in his eyes. Why can I not love him the way he loves me?" I shook my head, looking at my hands which were folded in my lap.

_ I will not allow myself to cry_, I told myself that there would be no more tears over this. Tears get me no where and besides, I cried enough last night to last me a year.

"I guess it just wasn't meant to be." Margret said as she rubbed my back. "Why don't we forget about shopping for today? I can see you need time to think."

"Thank you." I said, kissing her cheek as she held me close for a moment before I relaxed against the couch.

"Are you ready to go?" She asked, I nodded and we got up, grabbing our bags before heading out the door.

* * *

The walk to class was silent, Margret did not leave me to find Jack as she usually does, she did not leave my side. She was silent, she knows me well enough to know when I need silence. I walked around campus with my best friend, my head held high. Even though I did not smile, I was not about to show the whole school what was going on inside of me. Aaron is not one to start gossip or speak with those he does not trust, so I am guessing that except for Jack and Margret, no one else knows what happened last night, and I planned on keeping it that way for as long as possible.

We walked into the History classroom; Ariston was sorting papers on his desk, seeing him brought me a kind of comfort. He looked up and our eyes met, there was such compassion within his eyes; it was as if he could see right through me to what was really going on, and he wanted to help. I have always been good at reading people, it seems I have met my match in this man.

Margret and I took our seats in the first row; even though I did not want to be at the front of the class in the moment, I decided I would anyway. I would not do anything different from what I usually do. I pulled out my pen and paper and waited for the class to begin. When I glanced up, my eyes met Ariston's again. There was a longing in his eyes, not a longing to kiss me but to comfort me. Even though there is no way Ariston could know what happened between Aaron and I, he longed to erase my pain just as I longed to erase his. For some reason I could not explain, that meant the world to me. I smiled a little to him and saw the ghost of a smile tug at the corner of his lips.

Five minutes later, Ariston began the class. I found myself watching him intently, unable to help it. Looking at him seems to be the only thing to break through the confusion. His voice soothes me, and for a while I can forget about what is going on. When the class ended I got up and walked past him, I could feel his eyes on me as I left the classroom. As much as I wanted to speak to him, I could not right then. I knew that I needed to think and being around him does not exactly bring about coherent thoughts.

I made myself focus on my other classes, no thoughts of Aaron or Ariston I allowed into my mind. I focused on every word the teachers said and took notes even though I have a perfect memory. Aaron was in most of my classes, he would not look at me, not once.

I did not want the school day to end, when it did I would have to think again, and thinking hurt. Margret said she would ride Willow today, so I was left with little to do.

As I walked with Margret and Jack back to our dorm, I had to ask him about Aaron.

"How is Aaron?" I asked Jack. He looked at me, with worry for his friend apparent in his eyes.

"He hasn't said a word to me since he got back last night." Jack told me. "I've never seen him like this before, not even when we lost a game. Did something happen between you guys?" Jack asked. I nodded, not wanting to say anymore. "What hap,?" Jack started to ask when he stopped mid-word; I guessed that Margret shut him up.

"I am going to the Stables." I said to them.

"Dressed like that?" Margret asked, speaking of my white shorts and dusty rose shirt. No one in their right mind would wear this at a barn, it would get dirty in two seconds.

"I have a set of clothing to change into there." I said.

"Alright, I will see you there later." Margret said to me. I nodded and walked off in the direction of the Stables.

I knew it would take an hour to reach the Stables walking, even at a good pace, but I did not care, I knew that I needed to think. Well not 'think' per se, just _feel_ and try to sort this mess out. But the more I felt, the more that confusion grew, along with my frustration. By the time I got to the woods, I could not stand the slow pace anymore and I began to run as fast as I could. With how I pushed myself, I reached the paddocks within five minutes, and went to see Willow in her paddock. She came over towards me, happy to see me as always. I opened the fence and went in, closing the gate behind me and making certain it was latched. I walked towards the gray mare, she seemed to be even sweeter and more animated today, and that was saying something.

"Hi girl." I said, stroking her neck in greeting.

I hugged her neck and she put her head against my back, hugging me in return while also sniffing my back pocket. I breathed in her scent, she smelled like ShowSheen, the spray we groom the horses with to help get the dirt off. Of course Show Sheen was incredibly slippery, therefor it should not be used liberally where the saddle goes, or else it can slip. The spray is another of the scents I love, one I grew up with.

I felt tears prickling my eyes, these thoughts of my worries too much to take, and I turned to walk away while taking a deep breath to calm myself. I heard a sound and I looked back to see Willow following me. I smiled and stroked her face and began walking again, only to have her trot by my side and nudge me with her head. I knew why she was following me, she sensed my pain and wanted to help. _I__f only she could help me with this_. With tears in my eyes that I would not shed, I hugged her once more then stroked her face while looking into her eyes.

"I will be okay, girl." I said, and then left the paddock.

I took measured breaths as I walked back down the path and into the Stables, breathing in the scent that floated in the air, it helped to calm me. Vrontos stuck his head out of his stall, the majestic stallion seemed to glow, even in the slight shadows. He nodded his head to me and I smiled and walked over to him and stroked his neck.

"What am I to do Vrontos?" I asked the horse. "I may not love Aaron as I once did, but I still do care for him greatly. I cannot hurt him... but I do not know if I can stay with him either." I sighed, tears prickling in my eyes once again as I rested my forehead against Vrontos' cheek.

"Mera." I turned around to see Ariston standing there. I do not know how I missed his coming. That same longing was in his eyes. Something told me that he hated seeing me in pain. I was silent for a moment as I looked into his eyes, I took a breath before speaking.

"How long have you been standing there?" I asked.

"Long enough, forgive me." He answered, not looking away from my eyes.

"It is okay;" I told him. "I only ask that you tell no one. I do not want the whole school to know what is going on, and you would be surprised how fast a rumor can spread when the wrong person knows."

"You have my word, on my honor, that I will speak of this to no one." Ariston promised.

"Thank you." I said to him.

"Do you want to talk?" He asked.

"It is just stupid high school drama." I lied with a smile that I tried to make look convincing. He was not buying it.

"It is bothering you." He stated.

"I will be fine." I said holding my head high. I knew he saw through my facade but he nodded.

"If you change your mind and wish to talk, let me know." He said. "I am here for you."

I nodded, trying not to let myself feel how much those five words meant to me, then walked away. I could feel his eyes on me as I walked towards the grain room.

My mind was racing with a million thoughts, my heart with a million different feelings, most of which were contradicting each other. Margret came shortly after. I helped her tack up Willow and watched her ride, and watched Ariston out of the corner of my eye as well, meeting his eyes every now and then as he rode. Could he hold the answers as I thought he might?

I decided that I would not work today, since I did not want to have to pretend I was all right in front of the girls. After Margret rode we took care of Willow, and then left to return to our apartment.

* * *

I looked at my clock, 6am it read. I sighed, knowing full well I was not going to be able to fall back asleep.

I have barely spoken two words to Ariston in the last week. I cannot deny that I feel something for him, and I know that it would be wrong to spend any amount of time with him until I have set things straight with Aaron. Except for greetings, Ariston has not said much to me, he seems to know I need space, but I wonder if he knows how badly I want to be around him, how much I truly miss his company and every conversation we have yet to have.

I have seen Aaron in our classes, and caught a few glimpses of him around school, but I have not spoken to him and he still will not look at me. _I have to make a decision, and soon; I cannot keep doing this to him._ He does not need to be hanging on because he has not heard my choice, which I am yet to make.

I got up and brushed my teeth, then changed into my running clothing and put my cell phone in my pocket. I did not take the time to eat but I did leave a note for Margret telling her that I went to the Stables and would see her later. I had been in my dorm all weekend, and I could not stand to be there for another moment.

I went out of the door and quickly made my way down the hallway, running down the stairs as quickly as I could. My mind was racing and so was I, trying to outrun the guilt and confusion, the pain inside of me that has been an almost constant for the past week. I was outside in no time, running as fast as I could push myself to go. Running has always helped to clear my mind. I ran the four miles to the Stables in just over ten minutes, I have always been a fast runner and when I push myself I am even faster.

I heard the music when I got close to the Stables, hip-hop, that would be Marge's music. I could hear my friends' laughter as I walked in. Ella walked out of a stall she had finished cleaning and spotted me, surprised that I was there. I did not need to work until tomorrow.

"I thought you weren't working today?" She asked over the music.

"I changed my mind." I said with a smile. She shrugged.

"Suit yourself, you know where the pitchforks are." She said and danced back to her work.

I smiled at that and went to get a pitchfork. Heather and Olivia were out there. They were both surprised to see me, Heather was happy, Olivia said "Hi" but that was it.

"Just couldn't stay away from us?" Heather asked, raising an eyebrow jokingly.

"I felt like coming today." I said with a shrug.

I grabbed a pitchfork and an empty muck bucket, then went to the first stall that was dirty and began cleaning it. The work helped to clear my mind, which I was desperately grateful for. When we were finished with the work, we all sat around on the Stables' floor and talked while the music played.

"So I went to the lake this weekend, and you will _never guess_ who I saw there." Ella said, her tone full of gossip she could not wait to share. I rolled my eyes and smiled.

"And who would that be? Alex? Marshal? Quinn?" I asked, naming off a few of the guys on her list. All she ever talks about is boys, it can get very annoying, but I also find it amusing.

"Well yes, yes and yes, but they were all with their girlfriends." She said with a frown before her face lit up. "Who I saw was _Ariston Crete_." She said dreamily.

The name stopped me, my eyes shooting to hers as I yearned to hear about him. I have barely seen him except in class in over a week, which felt like a year, and even though I was loathe to admit it, I missed him, _greatly_.

"Really?" I asked, trying to sound nonchalant.

"Yeah and oh my goodness! You should see him in his swim trunks." She said with a smile on her face. "His body is AMAZING! I have never seen anything like it!" She exclaimed. "_Hot_ does not even begin to describe him."

Before I could think to stop myself, an image of Ariston in swimwear appeared before my mind, my heart fluttering and a blush settling over my cheeks at the thought of him shirtless.

"I like his name, I wonder what it means?" Marge said.

"It means 'the best,'" I said absentmindedly; they all looked to me. "His name is Greek, it means 'the best.'" I said simply.

They already knew that I know some Greek, and I felt no need to tell them that I looked it up on Google. He is on my mind more and more these days. Somehow, in his absence I have only thought about him more and more. They say that absence makes the heart grow fonder... and my heart was oh so fond of him... of course that did not help me with finding my answer about Aaron.

'The Cupid Shuffle' by Cupid started playing; we smiled to each other and were on our feet in the next moment. Marge goes to a Latin dance class called Zumba, she learned the steps to the song there, and then taught them to us. Ella, Marge, Heather, Olivia and myself began dancing to the all too familiar moves, all four of us moving together and laughing while we joked around. I love being with them, they always know how to make me feel better. When we finished the dance, we danced to the next song, Marc Anthony's 'I Need To Know'.

"Go Mera!" Heather called out.

I laughed and kept dancing; I have never only danced with my hips, I dance with my whole body. I have been told by many people that I should be a professional dancer, but it is just not my calling in life. To tell the truth, I do not know my calling in life, I know I want to help people but that is about it.

I spun around and stopped dancing for a moment, when I saw Ariston Crete standing in the aisle not too far from me, nodding his head to the music with his crooked smile that left me breathless. The moment I saw him, what was left of my worries disappeared and a sense of relief washed over me. I watched him, then I spun again and danced up to him, then around him in a circle, my arms above my head before trailing back down my body.

When I got back in front of him he held his hand out to me, such a smile upon his lips and a look within his eyes. I smiled and took his hand, enjoying the rush that flowed from him to me that I had missed so much. He spun me then placed his hand on my mid back and I put my hand on his shoulder, he has a perfect frame. We began to dance Latin Ballroom with him a respectable distance from me. It felt like we were flying, he dances like a professional.

He swept me around the Stables' aisle with breathtaking grace, the whole time I was engulfed by the sky blue of his eyes and lost in the warmth of his embrace. The way he moves is a seduction in itself. The sadness in his eyes lessened greatly while he was holding me in his arms. We moved together so perfectly and as the dance went on, we started dancing closer until our bodies were together. His body was solid, like living granite. The storm was flowing like a tempest between us but we never missed a step. When the song ended he dipped me, then slowly brought me back up.

We stood there looking into each others eyes, our breathing ragged. My heart was going like mad and not just from the dancing. We were so close, I had not truly realized until that moment how close we had gotten. His face was only inches from mine, his breath washing across my lips as I gazed up into his eyes. After a moment he removed his arms from around me and took a step back; I saw that look in his eyes again, he was pulling away from me.

"I think I am beginning to see a pattern here." I said breathlessly, speaking of the first time I saw him, he laughed.

"Hello Mera." Ariston said.

"Hello Ariston." I greeted him. "You are an amazing dancer."

"Thank you, as are you." He said before he stepped around me to stand a few feet away from me and properly greet the girls. I could not take my eyes off of him. "It is nice to see you all again." Ariston said to my friends with a friendly smile. "I hope you do not mind, I am here to ride my horse before class. I will not interfere with your work."

The girls all seemed to be at a loss for words under his gaze, I knew the feeling. Almost every time Ariston looked at one of the girls his eyes would snap back to me, like a rubber band. As for me, now that he was so near after being so far from me for this past week, my eyes were glued to him. He smiled as he met my eyes again.

"We do not mind; right girls?" I prompted them.

"Not at all," Ella said in her dreamy tone, which made me laugh as the others murmured their agreements, my eyes still gazing into those sky blue ones. He smiled to my friends.

"I will be on my way then," Ariston told us, then looked to me, a slight smile on his lips. A dozen emotions flashed in his eyes again, some of which were a mixture of resignation and hope. And even though he hid it well enough, I could see a loneliness in his eyes. "Thank you for the dance." He said to me.

"You're very welcome." I said, smiling and blushing. He stood there for a moment, looking into my eyes, before walking around us. I watched him go, all the while wanting to go with him, all the while wishing I could dance like that again with him.

"Wow, can he dance or what?" Marge said in amazement when Ariston had walked down the aisle and turned right, towards the paddocks. I smiled and turned around to them. "You two looked perfect together! I have never seen anyone who can dance the way you can before." Marge said to me and I smiled despite myself.

"He is so _hot_!" Ella said in her dreamy tone, almost pouting. I realized that all the girls were looking at me with suspicion in their eyes and smiles on their faces.

"What?" I asked.

"Don't look so innocent, I saw the way you looked at him." Olivia said. "You _so_ like him."

"I do not know what you are talking about." I told her with my head held high. If it were not for the uncontrollable blush on my cheeks, my face would have given nothing away.

"He could not take his eyes off of you." Heather stated. To that I had no reply but for a smile that I tried to hide.

"Oh come on!" Ella said. "You guys were stuck to each other like glue! You were basically dirty dancing." My body felt the heat radiating from me, remembering the warmth of his body...

"Girls, she has a boyfriend." Marge said, trying to help me. That sparked something within me, _Aaron._ I sucked in a breath of air as reality hit me.

"Mera?" Heather asked, noticing my emotions.

"I need to, to throw down some bales of hay." I said as I walked past them.

As I turned the corner, I noticed Ariston walking Vrontos in; our eyes met for a moment before I turned and walked away, no matter how much I wanted to run into his arms. I did what I could to keep my tears in, I would not cry. I quickly went up the stairs and into the hayloft, to the back where I sat down on a bale of hay and put my head in my hands. I would not cry, not again.

"Are you alright?" I stood up at the sound of his voice and looked at Ariston. Worry was clear in his ancient eyes, that and a deep need to comfort me. I felt a tear begin to roll down my cheek and I shook my head.

"No." I answered, I could not lie to him.

I could see in his eyes that all he wanted was to make my pain go away. It touched me deeply knowing that he cared. He is not the type to pry and I was thankful for that. Ariston walked towards me, our eyes never losing contact. He stopped a foot away from me and gently placed his hand on my upper arm in a comforting way, with such compassion in his ancient eyes. Even in a moment like this his touch did not fail to inspire those feelings within me. A warmth spread through me from the storm of his touch as a blush appeared on my cheeks, though the tender touch simply brought more tears to the brim of my eyes.

"Is there anything I can do?" Ariston asked, almost pleading. _How did this get reversed?_ I wondered. I am the one who is supposed to be easing _his_ pain.

At that moment, looking into his eyes, I could not stop myself; I wrapped my arms around him and laid my head on his chest. His body went stiff for a moment in surprise, before his arms gently wrapped around me, his hands rubbing my back and stroking my hair. My eyes closed as I crumbled into him. Tears did escape my eyes then and Ariston gently rested his cheek on my forehead. The comfort I found in his arms was immense, his warmth surrounded me.

"It is going to be alright, Mera." Ariston's voice was soothing, like balm to my wounds and I knew that everything would be okay. I nodded and held him closer.

My tears stopped after a few minutes, but I did not let go of him and he did not let me go of me. For the first time in over a week I was at peace and I was not ready for it to end. His warmth felt indescribable, even in the 70-degree weather. I became lost in the warmth, the comfort as he still caressed my back, an easy thing to do with him. The scent coming off of him was an intoxicating and potent mixture of mint and vanilla, it went straight to my head, making it spin. _How does he smell of mint? My favorite scent and flavor?_

I did not care why I was feeling what I was feeling, or that it should feel wrong to be in another man's arms; all I wanted was to stay here in this comfort for an immeasurable amount of time. A few minutes later, however, I decided I should let go and slowly, reluctantly did. Ariston let me go and I took a step back, looking at him. Even though I was slightly embarrassed by my actions, my whole body, _every nerve_, screamed to be back in his arms. It was all I could do to not wrap my arms around him again. As it was my heart was beating erratically.

"Better?" Ariston asked in his compassionate tone. I smiled and nodded.

"I am sorry about that." I said, blushing.

"There is nothing to be sorry for." He said, his voice gentle. "I do not mind holding you."

There was a look in his eyes that made my heart beat faster. He was so close to me, my heart was pounding, looking into his bottomless ancient eyes, the liquid sky blue seemed to be consuming me. _Get a grip_, I thought to myself to no avail. I knew that I should be stepping back right about now, but I could not seem to make my feet move from the spot I stood. My lips tingled in anticipation of a kiss.

Would the pain go away if I were to kiss him? Would it feel as wonderful as it felt when he held me? Would it make everything all right? A part of me needed to see what it would feel like to kiss his lips. My lips parted and I began to lean towards him when he closed his eyes and took a step back, his jaw locked. He opened his eyes and put a smile on his lips, though it did not touch his gaze. He was pulling away from me yet again, and it nearly shattered my heart and soul for him to do so.

"Shall we?" Ariston asked, gesturing towards the stairs.

I smiled and nodded as we walked through the hay bales. I walked down the stairs with him following me; I could still feel his arms around me, his body against mine, and this absurd need to kiss him was taking over. I knew I had to get away from him, before this need overtook me completely, and I would end up throwing myself into his arms again.

"I should be going, I need to take a shower before school." I said to Ariston at the bottom of the stairs, turning to him to say goodbye. He nodded, his eyes downcast for a time.

He took my hand, making a rush flow through me, and placed a kiss on it as he met my eyes, then he held that treasured hand for another moment; I grasped his hand, lost in his eyes.

"I will see you in class." Ariston said with a smile, one I hesitantly returned.

"Until then." I said, looking into his eyes. "Thank you." He nodded.

A moment later he let go of my hand and I used what strength I had not to take hold of his hand again. I blushed and walked away but I could not help glancing back, only to find Ariston was watching me, making me smile as his smile greeted me. I made myself continue walking, no matter how much I desired to stay with him and talk about things I could only imagine.

* * *

Two days passed. I could not wait any longer, I have to make a decision regarding Aaron, and I can only think of one person who could put this into perspective, who might be able to make sense out of this mess. Yes, I wanted to spend time with him; yet this was not about that need, this was about something else. I greeted Ariston when I got to class with Margret, then we took our seats, my mind going through the decision I had to make.

When the class ended, I waited until everyone had left the History classroom, fiddling with my book bag to look busy.

"Are you coming?" Margret asked.

"I will meet up with you later." I told her.

"Okay." She said, then walked out with Jack as I looked up to see Ariston talking with a student, seeming deep in conversation. Once everyone was finally gone, I stood and went over to Ariston, he looked to me from where he stood.

"I want to talk." I said to him, knowing he would know what I meant. He nodded.

"When?" Ariston asked, and I remembered I still had the rest of my classes left.

"After school, the Stables?" I asked.

"I will be there." He said.

"Thank you." I said, he nodded.

I became lost in his sky blue eyes, _how can they be so beautiful?_ Ariston looked away from my eyes a few moments later, glancing to his papers. And it was only then that I found the will to make my legs move, trying to keep my thoughts on anything but him so I would not be tempted to forget the rest of school and talk with him.

* * *

The school day seemed to take forever to end. I was nearly tapping my foot all day, and each time I saw Ariston every part of me wanted to talk with him. When it finally did end, I got a ride to the Stables with Margret, seeing as how it was quicker than walking.

Ariston was waiting outside the Stables for me, leaning against the wall with two white paper bags in his hand. My mind went to when he held me and how it felt. I blushed and shook my head as the need to kiss him came back.

"Do you want me to pick you up later?" Margret asked.

"No, I think I will run." I said to her. "Thank you though." She gave me a smile and I got out of her coupe.

I walked to Ariston and he closed the distance to me. I felt calmer in his presence, calm and serene.

"Thank you for coming." I said to him. I looked around at all the people in the Stables, I did not want to talk in front of them.

"Why don't we take a walk." Ariston offered, seeming to know my thoughts, I nodded.

We walked in silence down the path to the cross-country field side by side, paddocks on either side of us until the fence gave way to the huge five acre cross-country field. We walked around and towards the edge. There were only a few riders on course, but they were on the other side of the field.

"Shall we sit?" Ariston asked, gesturing to the log jump that I have jumped many times on Willow. We sat down next to each other and Ariston handed me one of the paper bags. "For you." He said.

I was thoroughly confused, wondering what could be in the bag. I opened it up to find a Greek Salad in a glass Tupperware container with another container of Sweet Potato French Fries and Pita Bread.

"I thought you might be hungry so I whipped something up." Ariston said to me, the warmth within his eyes making me melt.

"You made this for me?" I asked, touched at the thought. Ariston nodded, his smile growing. "That was very sweet of you; thank you." The sweet gesture made me smile.

I opened up the container and poured the dressing onto it, the meal smelled wonderful, with feta cheese, hot green peppers, sliced black olives, ripe tomatoes and rings of red onions and slices of cucumbers. I glanced at Ariston, seeing him opening up a mirror of my own meal on his lap, meeting his eyes and smiling. The food was beyond delicious and truth be told, I was hungry. I had rushed here after class without taking the time to eat. Ariston and I sat on that log together, eating in silence as the sun alternated between shining warmly and hiding behind the clouds of the day. I took my time eating, wanting to enjoy every moment with this wonderful man.

"That was delicious." I told Ariston when I had finished, closing the containers. "Thank you again."

"You are very welcome, I am happy you enjoyed it." Ariston said, taking my container and putting both of ours to his right side, away from sight. "I take it you wanted to talk about you and Aaron?" Ariston asked and I nodded, my thoughts racing again.

"I do not know where to begin." I said, looking at him.

"Wherever you wish." He said gently, I nodded and took a moment to breathe.

"As I told you before, Aaron and I have been together for two years, and we were friends for a year before that. I thought I loved him, and he still means so very much to me." I began. "A few months ago, I began to realize that something was missing between Aaron and I. I said nothing to him because I thought I was just being ridiculous; but when I watched Margret with Jack... the love they share is simply too true to miss. I want that so badly, and I wanted to have it with Aaron.

"The day you and I met, just over a week ago, Aaron took me to the restaurant where we had our first date. While we sat at our table, he told me that he loved me. It was not the first time he has said the words to me, and I have said them back countless times before and meant them. But when he said that he loved me that night... I could not say it back. I tried so many times that night, but I could not say the words to him." I paused before continuing.

"Later, he took me to see the city lights. He kissed me for the first time in that spot, and since then we go there every now and then to make out. I had hoped to forget everything else that happened during our date and just be with him, just kiss him. But when we kissed... I felt nothing, nothing at all, just the skin of his lips, nothing else. I used to feel something when Aaron would kiss me, I used to like it, I used to want him to kiss me. I tried kissing him deeper but it did not help." I said. I was silent, not able to wrap my head around the mess of emotions within me. I loved him, so why should this happen?

"Have you told him?" Ariston asked, I looked to him and shook my head.

"No, but he knows something is not right. I pulled away from him when we were kissing and started crying. I _never_ cry. I asked him to promise me that no matter what happens that we will always be friends, and he promised. I have not spoken to him since that night; he will not even look at me in class." I looked down at my hands and said the next part in a low voice. "I do not want to lose all that we have had for the past two years, but some part of me knows that it is already gone." I sighed and looked into Ariston's eyes, begging for answers.

"I do not know what to do," I told him, feeling desperate. "Should I wait this out and see if it changes? Will it ever change? Or will it be just this, kissing and friendship? If that is so, then I cannot help but want... more. Is it wrong that I want more?" I asked, Ariston shook his head with a gentle smile.

"No, it is not wrong to want more. If you want more, it means that something is lacking in your relationship." Ariston said. He was silent as he seemed to be deep in thought. "I must ask you if you two are intimate." He met my eyes.

"What does that have to do with this?" I asked, embarrassed, even though the question seemed to be more about what was going on between Aaron and I, rather than his own curiosity. He chuckled at my response, but quieted himself.

"You would be surprised." He said simply, with knowledgeable eyes. "Both having sex and not having sex can strain a relationship."

"How can having sex strain a relationship?" I asked, confused. _I would think it would have the opposite effect._

"Well, it can, if it is not good sex." Ariston explained with a smile that made me blush horribly and look away before speaking.

"No, we are not... intimate. He wants to, but I am just not ready... it does not feel right when it starts to go there." I said, feeling a bit nervous. I looked back to him after I spoke; the gentleness within his eyes calmed my nerves.

"Well then let me ask you another question. Earlier in your relationship, did you feel more for him than you do now?" Ariston asked. I thought back.

"Yes. I loved every moment of being with him, I loved kissing him. I loved him." I said. Ariston was silent for a moment before he looked into my eyes.

"Do you love him now?" Ariston asked, looking deep into my eyes. "Truly love him?"

"I... I do not know." I told him. "I feel as if I have not known the answer to that question in a very long while. All I know is that nothing feels right anymore." Ariston was silent for a few moments, he looked deep in thought as I watched him. That focus was something I would need to draw sometime soon.

"To quote the Poet Gibran," Ariston spoke, his eyes still far away, set on the rolling hills. "'Love and Doubt have never been on speaking terms.' Which means that if you do not know in the very depths of your soul that you love this boy, then you do not love him. Sometimes love can take time to grow, or for hardheaded lovers to realize their feelings for each other. You and Aaron have been together for two years and your feelings for him have only lessened. That is not love, not true love. Of course love is one of those things that makes the least sense out of everything; and there in lies its beauty.

"Another saying by Gibran is 'Love that does not renew itself every day becomes a habit and in turn a Slavery.' Meaning that if you do not love the one you are with more each day than you did the last, you become stuck and that is not natural. Love is meant to grow, for each day to be better than the last." Ariston smiled. "True, it is almost guaranteed that there will be hard times in a relationship and that you will get upset with each other; but when you truly love someone that does not matter. When you truly love the one you are with, you know that as long as you are together you can overcome any obstacle.

"So many people stay with those they do not truly love because to them, it is better then being alone. They are comfortable with the familiar, so they stay where they do not belong, because they are afraid that things will be worse if they venture out into the unknown. In life and in love you have to take risks. You must let go and give yourself over to a higher power, or else you will miss out on what makes life worth living." Ariston paused for a moment before continuing. "A wise woman once told me that souls are born in pairs. Everyone has a soul mate, but they have to be open to seeing one another or else they can pass each other right by."

Ariston was silent for a long while, allowing me to absorb his profound words. He is so passionate when he speaks of love; and I understood that you can only understand love in such a way if you have felt it. I thought of his wife as I met his sky blue eyes.

"You really loved her." I said without thinking. I saw pain in his eyes before he looked away, and I immediately regretted my words. "I am so sorry for bringing that up."

"It is alright." Ariston said, looking down at his hands. "I will always love her, she is a part of me." He took a deep breath, then looked up at the grounds again. "I do not know what you feel for this boy, only you can know that. It may not be that you do not love Aaron. Perhaps your feelings for him are simply not romantic. You can love someone deeply and truly without wanting to be in a relationship with them. It is called friendship.

"Based on what you have said, I would advise that you end your relationship with Aaron or, better yet, call your relationship what it is, a friendship. It may take some time, but if he truly cares for you, then he will want you in his life even if only as a friend. And most of all, he will want you to be happy, whatever that may mean." Ariston said, then looked into my eyes in all sincerity. "And I would also have to strongly advise against being intimate with Aaron; if there is no real spark when you kiss, then being with him in such a way will not be enjoyable; especially if it is your first time." Ariston said this with all seriousness. "Sex will not fix your relationship." I nodded and looked away as I blushed.

We were silent for a while. I had a lot to think about. One thing I love about being with Ariston is that he does not feel the need to fill every silence with mindless small talk. He can just be in silence and enjoy it; it was... peaceful.

"Thank you. You did make some sense of this." I said, then shook my head. "I just do not want to hurt him. We have been through so much together."

"It would be worse for you to stay with him if you do not truly love him," Ariston told me. "It would be a lie; and in the end, you will hurt him even more if you string him along. If you do not love him, tell him. He deserves the truth, everyone does."

"You are right." I said, still lost in thought. Ariston was silent for a time.

"I do need to be getting back. Would you like a ride to your dorm?" Ariston asked, I met his eyes and smiled a bit.

"That would be wonderful, thank you." I said to him.

We walked out of the cross-county field, then up the path back to the Stables in a deep silence. I did not want to lose Aaron, he is one of my best friends, someone I trust and even love. Yet the truth remained the same. I could not see myself being as in love with him as he is with me; our love for each other would never be equal, and love, in my mind, was not meant to be that way. You should need that person more than anything.

Vrontos was in his paddock, he stood by the fence with his ears forward, his coat glimmering in the sunlight. Ariston and I walked up to the gate as Vrontos made his way down to greet us.

"Hello old friend." Ariston greeted his horse, who much to my surprise, walked right past his owner and to me. Ariston chuckled as I stroked the horse's head and I met his eyes. "I should be used to this by now, he has always liked women." Ariston said, as if he should have realized and I looked back towards the beautiful steed. "He and Kallisto are quite fond of each other." Ariston said with love within his voice.

Hearing Ariston say a woman's name with such affection sent a surge of some emotion within me. I closed my eyes when I realized what it was; jealousy. I looked up at Ariston in curiosity, putting away this ridiculous emotion as best I could.

"Kallisto?" I asked him, keeping my voice calm even with the feeling burning inside of me.

"My daughter." Ariston said with pride in his voice. I let out a breath quietly in relief; I had all but forgotten that he has a daughter.

"What is she like?" I asked him.

"A lot like her mother, thankfully." Ariston said with a smile, his eyes far away. "She is beautiful and kind, with her mothers sense of humor. She sees the beauty in everything; even though she is grown, she has not lost her sense of wonder. Kallisto is a true joy to be around, I do not know what I would do without her." Ariston said fondly, I could not help smiling at the obvious love he has for his daughter.

"What does she get from you?" I asked him.

"Not much fortunately." He said with a laugh. "She has my eyes, curly hair and my love for good books; all else she gets from her mother, especially her face." His eyes were far away for a time.

He took out his phone and handed it to me. The photo on the high resolution screen showed a beautiful woman with platinum blond curly hair and Ariston's sky blue eyes. She had beautifully angular features and an even smile; a kind of wisdom seemed to permeate through those eyes that were so like her fathers.

"She is beautiful." I said as I handed the phone back to him, he looked at it with that utter devotion within his eyes, then slid the phone into his back pocket. "Is she still in Thessaly?" I asked, assuming she was there where he lived.

"For the moment; she travels often." He told me.

"She must miss you." I said to him, he smiled a bit.

"She is probably glad to be rid of me, although she would never admit it; she never admits her annoyances. Not to me at least." Ariston said the last part almost under his breath, his eyes far away as his smile lessened.

"I know I miss my father." I said, Ariston smiled to me, though the smile was only half of one.

"Come, my car is in the parking lot." He said.

We walked to the parking lot together, but the black Range Rover I saw him driving the day I met him was no where in sight. Ariston took out his keys and pressed the button on them. A midnight blue car that was a cross between a Rolls Royce and a Lamborghini beeped. It was a true work of art, with breathtaking details.

"That is your car?" I asked in amazement.

"It is." Ariston replied.

"Wow." Was all I could say.

He walked over to the passenger door and held it open it for me, I smiled to him and got in. He closed the door behind me before walking around the front of the car to get into the drivers seat. I found the interior to be a timeless and stunning design, white leather with midnight blue trim. It was very classy.

"Your car is beautiful." I said.

"Thank you, I had my brother customize it for me. He is quite the mechanic." Ariston told me; he turned the key and the car purred to life in a gentle way.

He rolled down the windows with the press of a button, and began speeding down the open road, the ride was so smooth and under his control that I barely noticed the speed. He turned on the radio, to my favorite station as it turns out. Ariston began singing to a song he knew and I watched him with my mouth hanging open at the sound of his singing, stunned by his tenor. He smiled to me and kept singing.

I rested my head on the door frame, loving the sound of his singing as he kept me smiling while my worries disappeared. My hair blew in the warm wind from the open windows, the sun warming my skin. I closed my eyes and let out a sigh, feeling completely at rest. It was strangely wonderful, going from being so overwhelmed I could hardly breathe... to this when I am with him. I still find it amazing the mixture of emotions that come over me when I am with Ariston, I feel completely at peace but at the same time excited. I feel... alive when I am with him. It did not matter what I had felt before, he brought me the respite and peace I needed to help bring my mind to order, or at least as close as I could get.

I opened my eyes a few minutes later and looked over to this amazingly wise man, only to find him looking at me with what seemed like a mixture of awe and hope in his sky blue eyes. I blushed and he smiled and turned back to the road. I looked away but could not help glancing back. His black curly hair was tussled by the wind, a slight smile on his beautiful lips. I looked down and noticed his hand resting on the seat between us; as thoughts came back to me, my mind racked with too many emotions to manage, for the second time this week, I did something impulsive. I took his hand. Ariston's eyes flashed to mine as those feelings surged through me. So many emotions were present within those ancient eyes as his fingers closed softly around my own.

With his hand wrapped softly yet securely around my own, it gave me all the strength I needed to understand and come to terms with what I needed to do; whenever those thoughts were too much I would squeeze his hand, and he would return the pressure. Our eyes met countless times on the rest of the ride, though no words were exchanged between us he knew how much it meant to me that he held my hand; it was as he said before, Ariston is there for me. I wished the ride would never end, that my hand would need not let go of his own, that I would not have to leave this car.

When we turned onto the oak-lined paved road which led towards my dorm, my heart sank. The dorm came into sight, and we drove to the front garden, where Ariston stopped his car. Seeing the students walking around, I carefully slipped my hand from Ariston's, reminding myself that in others eyes he was my teacher, and I his student. Teachers have gotten in trouble for less than holding hands with a student, and no part of me wished to bring such forces upon this man who has taken time out of his day to help me more than once.

Ariston looked at me, looking into my eyes as an ache formed within my heart. I did not want to get out, I was not ready to be parted from his presence. I gazed into his eyes, lost within his shade of sky blue, and I once again tried to understand the source of these feelings within me; why I was so drawn to him, why he brought me comfort when no one else could. Some sadness returned to his eyes right before he looked away from me, his jaw clenched as he looked straight ahead.

"This is about what you want, Mera." Ariston's voice was soft, resigned, and I heard a forced detachment within it. "If you want to be with Aaron, if something in you says that there will be more between you again... then be with him. Follow your heart, it knows the answers you seek." Ariston would still not meet my eyes.

"I know what I am going to do; I have made my decision." I said; he nodded, his eyes still looking out the windshield at nothing in particular.

When it was clear that he was not going to look back to me, I sighed, then used all the will I had left to get out of the car and close the door behind me. I did not want our moment to end, for me to walk back into my dorm without him. I forced myself to walk ahead, but I had not taken more than three steps when I heard his voice.

"Mera?" Ariston said, his voice sounded almost desperate.

I turned around and went back to his car. I bent down and poked my head through where the window would be, and resting my arms on the door frame to see his handsome face; I was taken aback by the intensity of his gaze, his eyes seemed to be pleading, swimming with a thousand unsaid words. His lips parted to say something but no words came out for a moment.

"I will see you tomorrow." Ariston finally said, though I could see in his eyes those were not the words he wanted to say.

"Until tomorrow." I said with a smile, I wanted to hold him so badly, to take away his worries as Ariston did for me.

When he turned his head away from me, I stood up and watched him drive away; it strangely felt like he was taking a part of me with him. When his car was out of sight, I turned and walked through the gardens toward my dorm. Though my mind was still fuzzy with thoughts of him, I knew what I would do when the time came, and that time would have to be soon._  
_


	7. Chapter Five: The End

**Chapter 5:**

**The End  
**

**"Why was I so blind that I couldn't see our love was changing underneath our very noses?"**

**Jessica Sharp**

I sat in my room after I spoke with Ariston. Thoughts of him still swirled in my mind. I replayed my memory of the car ride over and over again while laying on my bed, I felt like I was floating. Then the memory came to an end and Ariston's words lingered in my mind.

_ "This is about what you want Mera."_

What I want. Do I know what I want? I thought I did, and then everything changed. One thing I know is that I no longer want to be in a relationship with Aaron. _Yes, I have made my decision, but I do not want to do anything rash._ I decided to sleep on it and if in the morning I still felt the same, then I would end my relationship with Aaron and that would be that. All I could think about was Aaron's reaction and what pain my choice will cause him; but Ariston was right, I cannot string him along hoping things will get better when I would only stay in it to keep him from hurting; it would be beyond wrong. I could not be with him, faking my 'I love you's' and making promises I knew I could not keep; it would be betraying both myself along with the memory of those wonderful years we spent together. Aaron is worth more than that, then a woman whom will not be able to love him. But no matter how much reasoning I put to this, my heart only seemed to ache more, knowing what I must do for both our sakes.

I took a long bath, and in one moment, Ariston's smile came into my mind and all I could do was smile as tears came to my eyes, missing his company. I thought through so many things I wanted to say to him as I imagined conversation after conversation we might have; and of course, thinking of how we danced a few days ago made me bite my lip as I laughed once and shook my head. It was only because of these thoughts that I got through the overwhelming emotions going on within me; though granted, thoughts of him did keep me up for half the evening. I could not think of Aaron, doing so hurt too much.

* * *

Morning came and nothing had changed, though I was incredibly tired when my alarm went off. I yawned and stretched before rising from my bed. I showered and tried to prepare myself for the day ahead, all the while thinking about what I would say to Aaron. I walked with Margret towards school, we were silent for awhile, only speaking of unimportant things. We ended up arriving early, and chose to sit in the grass of the courtyard as we waited for school to start. I stared at the blades of grass, lost in my own thoughts, until Margret spoke.

"So I have to ask, what happened with Ariston yesterday?" She asked.

"I asked him to meet me at the Stables. Ariston saw that something was wrong and he offered to talk it through with me." I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself and ease the sadness within my soul. "He put things into perspective. He told me that this is about what I want, that if I think that Aaron and I could have something again, then I should be with him." I said, Margret smiled in a way she tried to hide, making me wonder what she was thinking. "What?" I asked, she shook her head.

"Nothing." She said, though I knew it was something. "So what did you decide about Aaron?"

"I am going to end things with him today. I decided last night, but I had to be sure, and now I am certain." I told her.

"It will be alright." Margret said with a reassuring smile.

"I hope so." I told her.

A part of me felt that everything would be okay, and something told me that this must be done. I felt at peace with the decision; it was something I had to do. My sadness only came from what it would put Aaron through. When the time came, we stood and made our way to our first class of the day, a smile coming to my lips at the thought of whom I would see.

I smiled to Ariston when I walked into the history classroom, he smiled and despite everything that was going on, a blush managed to find its way to my cheeks and a feeling of relief washed over me along with that something else. As always, I became caught in his gaze when our eyes met before he looked away.

I enjoyed the class and was able to forget everything else while listening to Ariston talk about the Civil War, putting in a joke here and there and making the whole class laugh, myself included. He always seems to be able to make me laugh. Then there were the times our eyes would meet, sending that feeling I always get around him through me anew. It was as if he saw something within me that everyone else misses, and that only seemed to strengthen the connection between us, one which no words would be quite fit to describe.

The bell rang at the end of class and the students poured out, I stayed behind to speak with Ariston, telling Margret to go ahead without me again. Ariston leaned against his desk and watched me as I walked towards him. There was something in his eyes, as if he thought this might be the last time he would see me. This was not the old sadness I have seen in his eyes before, this was new, fresh. _Something is hurting him right now._ _Why do I feel it is me? How could I be hurting him?_

"Thank you for yesterday." I said, breaking the silence.

"I meant to ask you, what is your decision?" He asked, seeming slightly hesitant, as if he were afraid of the answer.

"I am going to end my relationship with Aaron. You were right, I do not love him anymore." I said.

The sadness left his eyes at my words and something came over his face, the look was gone before I could identify the emotion and was replaced with another that I could not understand, it looked like compassion mixed with something else.

"Have you spoken with Aaron?" Ariston asked in a calm voice.

"I am going to speak with him after school." I told him.

"Best of luck." He said, then smiled kindly.

"Thank you." I said, getting lost in his eyes again. There was a change in his eyes, something was different. I could have sworn it was a speck of hope.

I knew I should be going, but I could not seem to make my feet work, my body felt paralyzed under his sky blue eyes as all thoughts in my mind fell to a deep silence. I wanted to hold him again; I seem to get the urge when I see sadness within those ancient eyes. I wanted to assure him of something, but the words were not there, for what I wanted to assure him of was something I could not yet formulate into articulation, and a part of me was not ready to. Ariston looked away a moment later and I was able to move again. I quickly walked away before I could get trapped in his gaze again.

I made it to my next class only moments before it started. Aaron was there, though he did not sit next to me as he used to, and he barely glanced my way. As I kept looking at him, I was brought back to those times when we could not let the other out of our sights. He would watch me for most of our classes, to the point where the only way he was getting by in those classes was with my help. Of course studying always turned into kisses, laughs and giggles, me halfheartedly insisting that he needed to study as he tossed our book onto the floor and kissed me more and more. I still remembered how it felt, and knowing that it was gone and had been for sometime only amplified what I felt.

I watched him during the class, thinking and rethinking what I would say to him. I was so lost in thought that when the bell finally rang, it startled me, making me jump in my seat. I grabbed my bag and went to Aaron before he could rush out of the classroom like he has been doing in the past week.

"Aaron?" I said.

He stopped and took a breath then turned around. No emotions showed on his features, yet his eyes showed what he was feeling; I was barely able to speak. I knew I was only going to make it worse.

"What is it?" He spoke.

"We need to talk." I told him. He swallowed hard then nodded. His jaw clenched.

"I will come by your apartment after school." He said. I nodded, and after looking into my eyes for a moment, he walked away.

* * *

I sat on the couch in the living room and watched the clock, waiting for 3pm and dreading it at the same time. I already told Margret what was going on, she left ten minutes ago so that when Aaron arrives we can speak in private. Aaron should be here any minute, I did what I could to stay calm. _How will he react? What will he say?_

They say when the end is near, you think of the beginning. I could not help thinking back to my first day at Blueridge Prep, the day I met Aaron.

_ My parents walked me through my dorm, to what would be my apartment, as I took in the gilded hallway. __I was still amazed by this place, part of me wondered if this wasn't some sort of daydream._ My father carried my duffel bag and my mother walked next to him holding his hand, while I walked ahead of them, pulling my dark pink suitcases. We came to the correct door and I opened it, my eyes scanning the details of the room I walked into; a girl who looked to be about my age occupied it. She sat on the couch reading from a college level physics book, which looked like it weighed more than she did. She was very slim with fair skin, and nicely styled brown hair which reached her shoulders. The young woman immediately put her book down and got up to greet us with a friendly smile.  


"_Hello, I am Margret Petrova." She introduced herself with a slight Russian accent. "You must be Mera Vandenberg?"  
_

"_Yes, I am." I said, walking up to her and shaking her hand. "It is very nice to meet you. This is my mother and father." My parents went over to shake Margret's hand._

"_It is nice to meet you Margret, I am Anne Vandenberg and this is my husband George." My mother introduced my father and herself with a smile.  
_

"_It is a pleasure to meet you." My father said to Margret with a friendly smile._

"_You too." Margret said, then looked to me. "Your room is through here."_

_ Margret led us through the door on the right and I was amazed once again. My father let out a whistle as we entered. The room was so much bigger than I had imagined it to be and beautifully decorated. With its tall ceilings with huge crown molding and a huge window in the wall with a window seat beneath it, it was beyond anything I imagined this place would be. It was even better than the brochure. The walls and floors looked to be from the early 1900's and were beautifully intact, however the furniture looked brand new and VERY expensive._

"_This is all mine?" I asked in amazement._

"_Of course it is." Margret said. "I hope you don't mind, I got bored and decided to decorate it before you came." I looked at Margret, she smiled with a sheepish expression. "You can change anything you like."_

_"It is perfect." I assured her, still lost in wonder. "That was incredibly generous of you." I smiled to her and her eyes lit up._

"_That was very kind of you." My mother said._

"_It was indeed. Where is the closet?" My father asked._

"_Oh, right through that door, the other leads to your bathroom." She said._

"_I get my own bathroom?" I asked in amazement._ _My mother had been warning me that I might have to have to share a bathroom with a few dozen other girls, and my father was teasing me about group showers, knowing how I like my privacy. _

"_Of course you do." Margret said._

_ I opened the closet door for my father; I expected a little closet, not the room behind the door. It was twice the size of my old bedroom, and ready to be filled.  
_

"_As if I could ever fill this." I said with a slight laugh._

"_At least there will be room for your tack." My father said._

"_And a few horses to go along with it". I said. "Dad, I should have brought Roger, there would have been more then enough room for him."_ _I said, speaking of my pony back home._ _He laughed._

"_You ride?" Margret asked excitedly._

"_I do." I told her._

"_OMG me too!" She said excitedly. "My mares name is Willow! You should come to the Stables with me in the morning and meet her!" I was just as excited as Margret was to have found someone who shared my passion for horses._

_ "I would love to!" I said with a big smile._ _Right then and there I knew that Margret and I were going to be great friends._

_ "We should be going, we do not want to miss our flight." My father said._

_ I looked at my parents. My father with his rugged good looks, brown hair and hazel eyes. Then I looked to my mother, I have always taken after her in my looks. We have the same golden wavy hair, the same violet eyes that are more purple than blue, and the same face. __Although I was excited and very grateful for this new opportunity, I knew I would miss my mother and father greatly. My parents and I have always been close. I had never been away from them for more than a week in my life, and here I was about to be practically living on my own at fourteen years old. _I saw my mother's violet eyes begin to water.

"_Oh mom, do not cry." I said, tears beginning to form in my own eyes._

"_I thought I had four more years before you moved out." My mother said through her tears. __I went up to her and hugged her, and we held onto each other tightly; I really was going to miss her._

"_I will be home for the summers and every holiday." I promised her. "Even Arbor Day."_

"_I know, but I am still going to miss you terribly." She said._ _"I love you so much Mera, so very, very much."  
_

_ "I love you too." I said with all my heart. I let go of my mother and looked at my father, his warm hazel eyes were brimmed with tears. _"_Not you too." I said with a chuckle. I felt new tears prickling in my eyes. I went over to my father and leaned up on my toes to wrap my arms around his neck, his arms wrapped surely around me in that moment.  
_

"_What can I say?" My father said as he held me. "All fathers are push overs when it comes to their only daughter." I was going to miss him just as much as my mother._ _He pulled back to look at me as we let go. His face was serious. _"_Now there will be time enough for boys later on in life. You are here to earn an education, do you understand?" He asked, I nodded, keeping a straight face for as long as I could before we both smiled. My father never could be truly strict with his little girl, and I have always had too much of a free spirit for it to work. My father sighed and shook his head for a moment. "You know I trust you. If you do decide to date, just make sure he is a good boy, alright?" He asked, I nodded._

"_I love you, dad." I said, hugging him again._

"_I love you too, Mera." He said and kissed my head._ _I was crying now, clutching onto him, not wanting to be parted from my father._ "_You are strong, you can handle this." He said, I nodded._

_ We let go of each other and he wrapped his arm around my mother as she laid her head on his shoulder. He kissed her hair and they both looked at me._

"_Be sure you call us if you need anything at all, even if you just want to say hello." My father said._

"_I will." I told him, wiping my tears away._

_ I walked out with my parents and waved to them as they drove away. I remembered what my mother has always said, "For every end, there is a beginning." I wiped my tears away and walked back inside._

"_Oh good," Margret said when I walked though the door. "I was just about to go and hang out with Jack and Aaron, do you want to come?"_

_ "I would like that, it would be nice to meet some new people." I replied with a smile. She smiled and led me out the doorway and down the hall._

_ "Who are Jack and Aaron?" I asked her._

_ "Aaron is the quarterback for our football team; even though most of the boys he is up against are at least sixteen, he hasn't lost a game yet." Margret informed me. "Jack is his roommate and best friend. __They are our age._" She said, then added "By the way Jack is mine, even if he doesn't know it yet. You can have Aaron though." I laughed at how she said that.  


_ "What makes you think I will want him?" I asked her, she rolled her eyes._

"_If you don't want him, you would be the first." She said. "He is good looking, funny in a stupid way and has a good heart. What's not to like?" I went along with her conversation, even though boys were not what I had on my mind.  
_

"_So why doesn't he have a girlfriend?" I asked, hoping she would not try and set me up with someone who was already in a relationship._ _She shrugged._

"_On govorit, chto hochet sosredotochit__ʹ__sya na futbole i shkoly" Margret began speaking in what sounded like Russian, I just looked at her, not understanding a word she had said. She covered her mouth then smiled to me. "Forgive me," She said in English. "I just got back from Russia, I sometimes forget what language I am speaking in."_

"_It is alright." I told her._

_ "As I was saying, in English this time," She said, I laughed. "Aaron says he wants to focus on football and school, that he doesn't have time for a relationship. I think that he's just waiting for the right girl to come along." She winked at me and I laughed and shook my head. I really was not looking for a relationship._

_ We walked out of the building and down the pathways to the football stadium, which we reached ten minutes later, __ all the while talking about horses and our interests, many of which we shared_. There were other students, mostly girls, hanging out on the bleachers watching two boys toss a football back and forth.

_ Both of them were good looking and lean muscled. One was obviously into the gothic style with his black clothing, black hair and black nail polish. I tried to keep myself from laughing, it was quite a contradiction to his huge bright grin.__ The Goth boy was cute in an odd way but it was the other boy who caught my eye. He had shaggy, sandy blond hair, tan skin, a nice face and a great smile. He must be Aaron, no wonder every girl wants him, who would not?_

"_Hey Aaron." Margret yelled to him as we walked out onto the field and towards them._

"_Hey." The sandy haired one said as he caught the football._

_ Aaron looked over to Margret, then his eyes snapped to me and our eyes met, his eyes were a beautiful shade of sage green. He smiled and threw the football back to Jack without looking away from me._

"_Hey Margret." Jack said with that grin._ _Margret blushed and I bit back a smile._

"_Hey Jack." She said, her voice soft. "Guys, this is my new roommate, Mera Vandenberg." She introduced me._

"_Hey Mera, I'm Jack Franklin." The dark haired one waved to me._

"_Hello Jack." I greeted him._

_ Aaron, who had barely taken his eyes off of me, walked over to me and held his hand out, a smile on his face._

"_It's nice to meet you Mera, I'm Aaron, Aaron Rockford." He said, I shook his hand, it was strong and a bit rough from use._

_"James, James Bond." Jack said as he walked up, Aaron gave him a look._

_"Shut up." Aaron said. "And by the way, it's 'Bond, James Bond,' idiot." Jack rolled his eyes, making me chuckle as Aaron met my eyes.  
_

"_It is nice to meet you as well." I said, a slight blush coming over my cheeks as we let go of each others hand.  
_

"_W__here are you from?" Aaron asked._

"_California." I answered._

"_No way, me too." He said. "Let me guess, Beverly Hills?" I shook my head. "San Francisco then?" He asked._

"_I am afraid not. I live in a little town called Pescadero, it is quite lovely there." I answered.  
_

"_Ahh, a country girl." He said, I blushed and he laughed._

"_I have never been one for big cities, I do enjoy visiting them but I could never live in all that smog." I said, they laughed. "What part are you from?" I asked._

"_Beverly Hills," Aaron said. "Well for some of the year, we also have a house in the Hamptons and a few others. My father's business is real estate investment, so he gets the pick of the litter. He usually buys a few a year for us to vacation in." Aaron told me._ _I was surprised, even though I should not have been, most of the students here are rich._

"_Oh will you stop showing off, you're not the only rich kid here." Jack said, popping some candy into his mouth as he came to stand by Margret. "Come on guys, I want to sit down." Jack added. I walked with Aaron on my left and Margret on my right towards the bleachers.  
_

"_Oh so guys, guess what? Mera rides!" Margret said excitedly._

"_So we have another rich girl?" Jack asked._ _I laughed._

"_I am far from rich. My father manages a barn on our property back home. My grandmother bought me a pony a few years ago but it seems we are going to need to sell him soon, since I have outgrown him." I said._

_ "You always talk like that?" Jack asked._

_ "How do you mean?" I asked, they chuckled._

_ "He is talking about how you articulate and have a proper sense of grammar." Aaron said._ _I nodded then looked at Jack._

_ "So in short, because you seem to use little if any grammar you think that I should use none? But then I would sound just like you, and what would that say for my intelligence?" I asked._

_ "Oh!" Aaron said loudly, we all started laughing, as Jack gave me an approving smile that I could handle myself.  
_

"_Come on Jack, let's get a soda." Margret said suddenly._

"_I'll come with you," I said. "I could use a drink."_

"_No, no!" Margret said a little too quickly for my taste. "I will get one for you." She pulled on Jack's arm, giving him a look, and they walked away. Aaron laughed and shook his head.  
_

_ Aaron and I made our way up the bleachers, sitting down side by side as I gazed out at the enormous stadium. Yes, it definitely took either money or a tremendous scholarship to attend this school, and it seemed like it would be worth it.  
_

"_How do you like your room?" Aaron asked, I looked at him in confusion. "I was over there with Jack when she was designing it." He explained._

"_I love it. I have never had such a big room. Not to mention the closet!" I said with a shake of my head. "Margret is wonderful."_

"_You know she is trying to set us up, right?" Aaron asked, I raised an eyebrow.  
_

"_That obvious?" I asked, he laughed._

"_I have to be honest with you, Mera," He said to me. "You are beautiful and you seem wonderful, but I am just not ready for a relationship. When I am with a girl I want to give her all my heart and attention, that is how I was raised, and I do not have the time for that in my life right now." I smiled, a funny feeling inside of me when he spoke like that._

"_I am not looking for a relationship at the moment either, I am only fourteen after all." I told him. "Friends?" I asked him, holding out my hand._

"_Friends." He agreed, shaking my hand with a smile that led me to believe that us being no more than friends would not last for long.  
_

A knock on the door brought me forth from my reverie, and my heart sank. I took a deep breath then went and opened the door. Aaron stood there with a look that said "_can we just get this over with?"_

"Hello Aaron." I said.

"Hi." He said walking through the door, I closed it behind him.

"Do you want to sit?" I asked.

He sat down on the couch and I sat a foot away from him. I looked into his eyes and saw the sadness within them, it is nothing compared to the sadness I have seen in Ariston's eyes, but it still hurt me. We were silent for a time, I could not seem to get out the words I had planned to say, I could not look into his eyes. Aaron took a deep breath.

"Will you just say it already?" Aaron said, his voice sad but kinder than I deserved. "You are breaking up with me aren't you." It was not a question. I nodded, tears in my eyes. "Is this about the new History Professor?" He asked, I shook my head because this had begun before Ariston and I met.

"No, this is about us. I..." I swallowed then said the words while looking into his eyes. "I am not in love with you anymore; not the way you are in love me. I do not want to lose you, but I cannot be with you anymore." He was silent, his breathing troubled. He looked down, breaking my heart as I watched his break "I am so sorry. We just are not meant to be together; you must know that."

"No, no I don't know that." Aaron took my hand, and looked into my eyes, his voice and his eyes pleaded for me to understand. "Mera how can you say we don't belong together after all we have been through? We have been together for two years and now you are going to break up with me, just like that? No, I don't believe it." He said shaking his head, a stubborn look on his face. He placed his hand on my cheek and kissed me, a long lingering kiss. Our lips parted, his forehead resting against my own. "Doesn't that make you feel anything?" He asked, his breathing heavy. I shook my head.

"I wish it did." I told him. "Do you feel something?"

"I feel everything when I kiss you." He told me. I shook my head.

"I am so sorry," I said to him again. "I do not want to hurt you, I have never wanted to hurt you. I love you, just not the way you love me. I love you as a friend."

"Friend." Aaron said it as if it were a curse word as he leaned away from me, looking into my eyes. "And if that isn't enough?" He asked.

"It will have to be, it is all I can give to you." I told him. He removed his hand from my cheek.

He got up and went to the window and leaned his head on his forearm against the frame. His hands curled into fists, I have seen him do that before. It was not out of aggression, it was to hold himself together. He did the same thing when his father died a year ago. His jaw clenched.

I stood, unsure if I should go to him or if that would only make things worse.

"You said that you loved me," Aaron said. "So many times you told me that."

"There was a time when I did." I said, my voice just loud enough for him to hear. He was silent for what seemed like forever. "Aaron, say something." I almost begged.

"I need a minute." He said.

I was silent as he stood there, eyes closed. Aaron took a deep breath and finally turned around and looked at me. He walked over to me, looking into my eyes.

"Is there anything I can do to make you stay with me? To make you love me again? I will do anything, _be_ anything for you." He said, _I already knew that_. I shook my head as a tear ran down my cheek.

"I am sorry, it would be a lie to stay with you when I do not love you." I said as I began to break down.

My tears fell from my eyes, making their trail down my cheeks, I could not breath through the lump in my throat. The expression on Aaron's face changed, softened, and he wrapped his arms around me. I held onto him and cried into his shirt.

"God, what have I done?" Aaron asked himself, his voice full of regret. "I promised myself that I would never make you cry, and look at what I am doing."

"It is not your fault, _you_ are not breaking up with _me_." I said as I held onto him.

"It _is_ my fault." He sighed, rubbing my back. "I am holding onto you, trying to keep you with me even if it hurts you. I must be the most selfish man alive." He said. "I am so sorry."

I could not speak through my tears. After a few minutes my tears subsided and he sighed.

"I do not make you happy anymore, not like I used to. I have known it for months now." Aaron said, to my surprise. "I still love you, I always will. But I cannot hurt you anymore; seeing you cry hurts me more than the past eight days combined. I want you to be happy... even if it's not with me." Aaron said. I could hear him swallow hard, his voice rough with emotion. "If you meet someone who makes you happy... like I used to... I want you to be with him." Aaron told me. "Don't worry about me and my stupidity. Your happiness means more to me than anything."

He pulled back to look into my eyes and dried my tears with his hand, a sad smile on his lips. I hated the pain I saw in his eyes, he should not be in pain, and it is entirely my fault. He laughed once, but I could hear the sadness in it.

"Don't do that." He said softly.

"Do what?" I asked in confusion.

"Blame yourself," Aaron said, I went to say something but he stopped me. "Don't try to deny it. I don't blame you, and I'll be fine. The last thing I want is for you to be upset because of me."

I hugged him again then I kissed his cheek. I decided to kiss his lips once more, just to be sure; half of me hoped there would be something left, the other half knew there would be nothing. When our lips met, there was no spark, no feelings except guilt and the taste of my tears on his lips, nothing more than that. I felt him treasure the kiss, caressing my cheek, knowing this kiss would be our last. I stepped back and looked at him after the kiss ended.

"Just checking." I said with a sheepish grin.

"Nothing?" He asked.

"I am sorry." I said. He closed his eyes and sighed, then opened them and looked at me.

"It's alright." He said.

"Are we still friends?" I asked, worried he might have changed his mind on that. He smiled a sad smile.

"I promised didn't I?" Aaron replied. "I just need some time to put things into perspective." I nodded, glad that I did not lose that part of us.

"Take all the time you need, I am glad that someday we will be friends again." I smiled a sad smile. He looked at me for a time.

"I wish I could be what you need." He told me.

"For a time, you were." I told him truthfully.

He kissed my forehead gently then walked past me and out the door. I took a deep breath to steady myself when I heard the door click shut, then sat down on the couch and put my head in my hands. _It is really over, _it took the door clicking shut behind him to make it real within my soul. I sent a text to Margret telling her that she could come back now then took a deep breath, or at least as much of one as I could muster as I reached for the tissues.

I laid on the couch and let a few more tears escape my eyes, _will this guilt ever go away?_ A few minutes later the door opened and Margret came over and sat on the table across from the couch I was on.

"How did he take it?" She asked. I explained what happened. "He really is a good guy." She said with a sad smile.

"I know," I said, more tears rolling down my cheeks as she took my hand, giving it a squeeze, as another memory ran through my mind.

_ It was our first date, just over two years ago. For weeks, Aaron had been acting odd around me, he was nervous all of the time. And then, in a blurt of words, he finally asked me out and I said yes, since by this time I knew what I felt for him. We had a nice dinner at Tarresta's, after which he brought me up to see the city lights. He was so nervous as we sat there with the music on low._

"_Mera?" He said._

"_Yes?" I asked._

"_I... I love you." He said to me. I gasped and smiled then he smiled and seemed to relax a little. "I have been in love with you for the past year, but I was too stupid to notice it."_

"_I love you too Aaron." I said the words I had been waiting to say.  
_

_ He smiled and slowly leaned in and gently brushed his lips against mine. It was my first kiss and his too; a sweet, innocent and amazing kiss. He pulled back and smiled to me, I smiled back and bit my lip._

"_Can I kiss you again?" Aaron asked._

_ I nodded and we began innocently making out. I was sure that night that my life could not get any better. To me, life was perfect._

More tears came. _I __pray that someday Aaron will find the woman he deserves, and that he will use the love he has for me to love her._ He has so much love to give, all he needs is the right woman when the time comes for her to come along.

Later that night as I laid in my bed, emotionally exhausted, I thought of my mother's words. 'For every end, there is a beginning.' _Could this end bring about a new beginning for me? If so, what in the world could it be?_ I did not possess the answers I sought yet and I could only hope they arrived sooner rather than later.

* * *

**Author's Note: Obviously, this is called The End since it is when Aaron and Mera end things between them. Chapter 6 will be out soon, hopefully!**

**I would LOVE to hear your thoughts on this chapter and the story so far!**

**Jasmine**


	8. Chapter Six: Sunday

**Chapter 6**

**Sunday**

**"Taking a life is not something to be taken lightly. Life is more than a pulse, a heartbeat. It is the people in our lives, it is the choices and mistakes we make. It is our loves and journeys, our fortunes and follies. And to end a life is not just to remove a soul from a body, it is to end their journey and end each and every possibility that lies before them."**

**Jasmine Dubroff**

It has been a week since I ended my relationship with Aaron. It has not been as difficult as I expected it to be. Yes, I still do feel guilty for hurting Aaron, but I also feel... free, like a weight has been lifted off of me, one that I could not have known how long I held. I know it was the right thing to do, I feel it. I still see Aaron in class, but I am keeping my distance, giving him the space he told me he needs.

In this time, I have not seen Ariston outside of class, not even at the stables when I find myself constantly, though hopefully discretely, watching for him. He seems to be trying to keep his distance; he still greets me from time to time, but nothing more. I cannot understand why he does this, why it seems he is trying to not look at me; he still does look at me though, and _oh_ how I treasure those moments and the feeling when our eyes meet and I am embraced by the sky blue of his eyes and that slight smile appears on his lips.

"I have an idea you are going to love." I said to Margret as we sat in our living room doing homework.

"What do you have in mind?" She asked, reading her Physics Book even though she has already read it, twice.

"Since we missed our shopping day because of me," I began. "Why don't we go to New York this weekend and shop until we drop?" Her eyes lit up at the suggestion.

"Really?" She asked.

"Yes, I think I could use some time away from this place." I admitted. Staying in this dorm was beginning to wear on my already fragile sanity. I had to get away.

"Oh thank you, thank you!" Margret said to me as she threw her arms around me, and I laughed. "I can hardly wait, we can stay at my parents' penthouse and go out to dinner, and shop of course! Oh this is going to be so much fun!" I smiled. Her excitement is catching.

"You should invite Jack to come with us to the Morilana tonight." I said.

Margret has barely seen Jack since I broke up with Aaron, she has been with me the whole time. She says she does not mind, but I know that she misses him. Almost as much as I miss... I tried my best not to think of that man, knowing how my head would spin if I allowed any further thoughts of him within my heart, and it was not as if his face, sky blue eyes and crooked smile were not already occupying my every thought.

"Are you sure?" Margret asked. "It could be just the two of us." I shook my head.

"I know that you miss him. Call him." I told her and she smiled as she took out her phone at once.

* * *

The club was enjoyable, but the whole time my thoughts were on Ariston. I wondered what he has been doing, if he thought of me at all. _If the way he looks at me is any indication, perhaps I occupy his every thought as he does mine..._ That one idea made this incredible surge of emotions go through me, something akin to excitement, or elation, which quickly morphed into wistfulness which made me wish I could just curl up in my bed. Everything within me all came down to one simple truth: I missed Ariston, _greatly_, to the point where it hurts. Even though I see him every day in class, I have not been able to_ be_ with him, to talk and laugh with him freely. So many things ran through my mind, all the questions I had for him, everything I wanted to learn about him, and all the parts of my mind I wanted to tell him.

When a man has a mind such as his, how could one not wish to discover everything about him? I was no fool, it was far more than an intellectual longing for him within me, and it only seemed to get stronger, which drove me nearer and nearer to insanity for each and every moment we did not see each other. I worry about his sadness as well, I have a feeling it is harder for him when he is alone and that worries me greatly. Jack's voice brought me forth from my thoughts, I looked at him and nearly laughed, thinking that it was a good thing he lost the goth look when he began dating Margret, and did not go the other extreme known for some reason as "swag" a look which only made me laugh.

"Are you sure you're alright getting home?" Jack asked, he wanted to leave early to get some sleep. I nodded and he looked at Margret, he was always protective of her.

"We'll be fine Jack, I'll see you tomorrow." Margret said.

"Alright, call me if you need me." He said.

"I always need you." She said, I smiled.

"In that case..." He said, leaning in to kiss her. I looked away to give them some privacy. "See you later, Mera." Jack said a few minutes later.

"See you." I said with a wave.

Margret and I danced for another hour, letting loose and laughing as we moved to the music.

"Come on, we should go. We'll be tired as it is tomorrow." Margret said.

I agreed and slid my coat on, the same dull ache within my chest. I wanted to be with Ariston, just talk to him for a few minutes, that was all I was asking for but I was not bold enough to tell him. I tried to strike up a conversation once but he was clearly not very interested in it because he did not say much. _What changed since last week when he danced with me in the Stables and held me in the hayloft? When he looked into my eyes with an unexplainable intensity which caused a yearning for a kiss?_ It was a question that kept me up at night, wondering, hoping that he would start a conversation with me the next day.

I know Margret has sensed the change within me, I am rarely in the best of moods lately. I think she believes it is because I broke up with Aaron and I did not want to prove her wrong, to tell her that it was another man making me feel this way.

We made our way outside to the relative silence of the night. The leaves blew in the cool autumn wind and danced on the pavement on our way to the parking lot, the air felt odd. Something felt wrong, it had me on edge. I glanced around the parking lot. There were students walking to their cars, most laughing and joking around.

My whole body screamed danger, my hands felt hot. The warrior was showing herself again and two words echoed though my mind, _protect them_. I felt the light growing stronger within me, almost like adrenalin. Unlike adrenalin this light did not make me edgy, it made me more aware, expanding my senses, as a deep calm came over me. I felt my mind reaching out, searching, and suddenly there it was.

I could feel its... essence, it felt muddied. It was not the darkness I felt before, this was something else. But it was still dangerous, a predator. I looked around at the students as they went on their way, unaware of the danger afoot. _Protect them at all cost._

I felt the other light, the one that chased the darkness away on the first day of school, it was right next to me. Feeling the light brought me a kind of peace even though I was still alert. I also felt that the light would not help me this time, this was my fight. I looked around the parking lot and saw nothing, but soon we would walk by an alley where the muddied essence was. _I have to get Margret to safety_. I grabbed her arm and pulled her tight next to me as we walked along.

"Margret, when I tell you, you need to run to the car." I said in a low voice.

"What?" She looked at me with a confused smile, which slid from her face when she looked at me. It was as if she did not know the face she was looking upon.

There was no time to explain and, truth be told, I myself did not completely understand. All I knew was that I was in for a fight and that I would get Margret to safety at all cost. We were nearing the alley.

"This is important." I said, all she could do was nod. "Keep walking."

From the corner of my eye, I glanced down the alley and in the dark I saw the outline of a man. Margret and I passed the alleyway and I did not need to look behind me to know that the low life was following us, I could feel him and I could hear his foot steps as he drew closer, an uneven sound that told me that he had a limp in one leg. My mind was running through what I would do. Ten seconds later, I felt the cold metal barrel of a pistol pressed against the back of my head, and I stopped and prepared.

"Get your hands up." A rough, raspy voice said. He was a smoker, I made note. Meaning his lung capacity was less than mine, he would tire out sooner than I would.

I heard Margret gasp, she looked at me with fear in her eyes and I put my hands up, I knew what I would do. Every protective instinct I have within me was coming into play, I would not let this man hurt Margret, I would die first.

"Give me your purses and there won't be any trouble." The raspy voice said.

In one swift movement I spun around to face the low life and did a quick circle block, grabbing the man's wrist I gave it a jerk to throw him off balance as I hit his temple with a hammer fist. The mans grip on the gun loosened, and as it dropped from his fingers I caught it. I quickly slid back and kicked him in the gut, sending him flying three feet back from the force of my kick and knocking him off his feet.

"Run!" I said to Margret as I fell into a fighting stance. She stood in shock for a moment before doing as I told her. I moved back, putting distance between myself and the mugger.

Somehow I knew that the gun in my hand was a Glock 23 and I could tell by the weight that it was unloaded, not even one in the chamber. I threw it to the side, it was of no use to me. The man was clutching his stomach but he would not be down for long. I threw my purse and quickly took my coat off, it would constrict my movements, and left my heels on, they can be quite a weapon.

He got to his feet, I could see in his mismatched eyes that he was angry that I had been able to do what I did.

"You're gonna pay for that." He said.

He took out a knife, a long k-bar, the kind Marines use. I knew that there was no way this man was a Marine, Marines have honor, something a low life like him will never understand.

"Come on then, what are you waiting for?" I said, my tone dark.

He gritted his yellowed teeth and charged me, I could smell the alcohol on him. In one movement I moved out of the way, put my right arm inside his wrist while using my left forearm to deliver a strong blow to his elbow while at the same time pulling his arm towards me, effectively breaking his arm and causing him to drop the knife and scream out in pain. I used my foot to slide the knife ten feet away so he would not be able to get it, while I spun around and put distance between myself and the mugger again.

He hollered obscenities at me while clutching his broken arm. He came at me again with his left arm, the one that was not broken, and I blocked it to the outside, grabbing his wrist at the end of the block, opening him up for a swift front kick to his groin. He fell to his knees, clutching whatever was left. I glanced at the knife, then at him, and saw fear in his eyes. He stumbled to his feet and ran away; I went to go after him, I wanted to _end_ him, to make sure he would never prey on the weak again. I stopped myself then. _What am I doing? _I wondered.

Just like that the warrior left me and I was left standing there in a moment of shock. _Was that truly me who fought like that? Who egged on a man who held a knife against me?_

I looked around to see that a crowd had gathered at the entrance of the alleyway and was now cheering me on. I heard sirens then, and soon red and blue lights shined and flashed as the car approached. I was still somewhat in shock when tires squealed to a stop; I looked up to see two Police Officers rushing over to me. One was about my height with a salt and pepper mustache and the other was taller and clean-shaven.

"Miss, are you alright?" The short one asked me. Just like that I came out of my shock.

"I am fine." I said in a calm voice. I felt oddly calm about the whole ordeal.

"Where is the man who attacked you?" The tall one asked.

"He ran down the alley less than a minute ago." I told them, trying to get my bearings and realizing they would need a description of the man. "He was wearing dark ragged clothing. He is caucasian, approximately 5'9 and 180 pounds with a slight limp in his right leg, a now broken left arm and a slight concussion." I was not sure why I was speaking in such a way, it simply felt like the right manner in which to describe him. The tall one drew his handgun and ran down the alley after the low life.

"Where is Margret?" I asked the shorter policeman, his name tag said Kendrickson.

"Ms. Petrova is safe, she called us a few minutes ago. She is at her car with Officer Branston." Officer Kendrickson informed me. I nodded and picked up my jacket and slid it onto my frame, then grabbed my purse.

"The low life had an empty Glock 23 which I threw over there," I pointed to where it was as I spoke to the officer. "And a K-Bar which is over there." I pointed.

"How did you fight him off?" Officer Kendrickson asked me in amazement.

"Instinct." I said, I had no other explanation for it. He looked at the weapons and shook his head.

"Some instinct." He muttered in amazement.

I went quickly over to find Margret, she stood by an ambulance near her car talking to a policewoman. When Margret saw me, she ran to me and threw her arms around me as she cried.

"Are you okay?" I asked her.

"I'm fine, I was so worried about you." She said.

"I am not harmed." I assured her, we still held each other in a death grip.

"Ms. Vandenberg?" The policewoman asked, walking up to us, Margret and I let go of each other then.

"I am." I answered, glancing away from her just in time for a reason I only understood when I caught sight of it.

A midnight blue car that was a cross between a Rolls Royce and a Lamborghini came speeding to a stop just then, and Ariston Crete climbed out. Such relief washed over me at the sight of him. I smiled slightly as he ran over to us.

"What happened? Are you two alright?" Ariston asked, looking at me. There was something in his eyes, an emotion I did not understand.

"We're fine." I said to him, gazing into those entrancing eyes.

"Sir, who are you?" The officer asked.

"Ariston Crete, their History Professor." He answered, not taking his eyes off of me.

"Mr. Crete, I am Officer Branston. The girls are fine, a mugger attacked them but somehow Ms. Vandenberg fought him off." She said. Ariston simply nodded, he did not look surprised in the least.

"I will take them back to their dorm when you are done speaking with them." Ariston stated.

The officer turned to him, I could see she was going to argue, however when he looked into her eyes, she looked entranced, then she nodded.

"Of course." She answered, looking back at her notepad where are statements would be taken down. Ariston looked at me and I looked into his ancient, sky blue eyes, wondering how he had gotten her to agree._  
_

We spent the next fifteen minutes answering questions. They caught the man who attacked Margret and I, we watched the officers put him in the back of the Squad Car. Ariston held the back door open for Margret as I stood next to him, he then proceeded to walk around the car as the gentleman he is and held the passenger side door open for me before getting into the front seat next to me. Margret called Jack and told him what happened, I could hear him freaking out. She told him that we are fine and that 'Mr. Crete' was driving us back, while Ariston and I were transfixed upon each other. He glanced down and his eyes widened.

"Mera." Ariston said with worry upon his face, within that wondrous voice of his, as he stared at my shoulder.

I looked down, blood was soaking through my coat on my shoulder. I winced as I pulled the jacket off of my shoulder and moved the silk cap of my sleeve to see a wound that was about two inches long and decently deep on my shoulder, my jaw dropping, Margret gasped in fear.

"I guess he got me." I said half to myself, it was only then that it truly began to hurt.

I heard a ripping sound and looked at Ariston to see that he had ripped the bottom of his silk shirt. He took the piece of silk and gently and carefully put it over my wound to stop the bleeding.

"Margret, there is a small bag in the pouch behind my seat, will you get it for me?" Ariston asked.

"Of course." Margret said, quickly finding and handing it to him.

"Hold this here, Mera." Ariston told me.

He took my hand and placed it over the piece of cloth on my wound, the brief and gentle contact making me melt. He unzipped the bag, it was the size of a makeup purse. It was filled with vials and spray bottles on one side and on the other were a few different types of bandages. Ariston took out a spray bottle then moved my hand, which still held the silk scrap, out of the way for him to work. I was too distracted by him holding my hand to notice if what he sprayed on the wound hurt. He took the cloth from my hand and grabbed another spray bottle, he sprayed a liquid that smelled strongly of lavender on the scrap of his shirt which was not stained with my blood, and began gently cleaning the wound. I felt a tingling on the wound, but I could not have said if that was because of the medicine or his touch. Afterwards, when the wound was cleaned, he wiped away at the laceration then he took out a small tube, and unscrewed the cap. Ariston gently pulled the wound together and squeezed what I guessed was some kind of liquid stitches onto the wound, then blew on the wound to dry it, his hot breath on my skin giving me goosebumps, the good kind. A few moments later, he inspected the wound and then took a rectangular piece of bandage from the bag, and gently smoothed the adhesive side over the wound, keeping any dirt from entering from the edges of the bandage and the wound sanitary. Ariston looked up at me.

"All done." Ariston said. I looked into his eyes for a time.

"Thank you." I said, he nodded. A moment later he put his things back, I gave Margret a smile and reassured her I would be fine as we drove away.

We were silent for a while afterwards, I could not take my eyes off of him as he drove. I had missed him, more than I could possibly hope to explain, and wondered what he was feeling right now.

"Do you want to talk about what happened?" Ariston asked, bringing me back to what I had done. I looked to the back seat to see that Margret was sound asleep. I looked down at my hands as I spoke, needing someone to talk to about this. I could not keep it in any longer and Ariston was the one I needed to share it with.

"I nearly killed him, the mugger." I told Ariston, my voice just a hair away from a whisper. "I am not... normal, I do not know if I have ever been normal, and recently... so many things are happening, I am changing. I felt there was a threat before there was any evidence with which to prove it true and tangible. The way I fought," I shook my head. "The skills I have take years to hone, but I have not had any kind of true, formal training except for some self defense classes. It is not just the skills, I felt no fear, I felt as if I had been training for this my whole life. I do not even know who I am anymore, everything has changed and continues to transform in ways I do not understand.

"I do not know what is happening to me, or even how this is happening. Since the day we met... when I felt this darkness stocking me, I have known everything is different. Whenever I feel danger, this... entity within me takes over. I am worried about who I am becoming and that I could become hopelessly lost, not knowing what to do." I said, feeling tears prickle in my eyes.

"You are transforming," Ariston told me, causing me to look at him as he watched the road. "You should not fear it."

"I was going to murder that man," I told him. "I wanted to finish him so he could not harm anyone again." I thought he might finally understand who I was becoming, perhaps scold me for having such thoughts, yet he did not, he tried to comfort me.

"That man you fought was far from innocent, anyone whom would try to harm you..." Ariston said, his grip on the steering wheel tightening as lightning flashed across the sky. He gritted his jaw as the thunder followed and took a deep breath. "You were not only protecting yourself, but your closest friend. Your actions were more than justified, as was anything you could have done to him." I knew in his voice that he meant his words, that was how he saw it, and yet I could not.

"It is not for me to play god, Ariston, to choose who lives and who dies, and that is what I almost did tonight." I said with tears blinding my sight. "I know that I have it in me, to kill, and that scares me. I do not want this... I do not want to be a killer."

"You are not a killer Mera, you stopped yourself." Ariston reminded me gently, his calm returned.

"What if something like this happens again?" I asked, looking up to him while he watched the road as it began to downpour. "What if I do kill someone because I cannot stop myself? I do not know if I could live with that. Whatever this is within me, I do not want it." I said as tears rolled down my cheeks.

I have never felt so helpless in my life. I do not know how to control whatever this is. I worry about when it could take over, _what if I hurt someone I love? What if that darkness that I felt weeks ago comes back? _Ariston seemed to be contemplating something for a moment in time. He pulled the car to a stop on the shoulder of the road and looked at me, so many emotions within his eyes. I was somewhat taken by surprise by what Ariston did next, he took my hand from my lap and held it in his while looking into my eyes.

"It will not happen again unless you wish it to." Ariston said. I was too stunned to speak for a moment. _What is he saying?_

"How can you be so certain that I will not have to defend myself again?" I asked him. He looked deep into my eyes.

"Because I will protect you," He said with such intensity. "I will do everything in my power to keep you safe Mera, I swear this to you. You do not have to be this if you do not want what comes with it." His voice was filled with determination, and protectiveness, I knew in that moment that he would protect me, and also that he knew far more about what I was than I did.

"How?" I asked, he smiled with warmth shining from his eyes.

"You will simply have to trust me on this. I can and will keep you safe, no matter what it takes." The intensity in his eyes took my breath away.

In that moment, it felt as though his main purpose in life was to protect me, and I felt safe with him, more than safe. It was a deep understanding between us, he would protect me. And even though he did not know it, I would help him with his pain, somehow. I realized then how much I truly trust this amazing man.

"I believe you." I said in a low voice.

I was so lost in his eyes that I was unsure if I had said those words out loud or not, but the small smile on his lips said that he heard my words. Ariston smiled then looked back to the road, we drove away as I sat there deep in thought, going over the strange occurrences of this night as I listened to the rain coming down and the soft music on the radio. Ariston still held my hand, his fingers interlaced with mine.

I yawned and before I could think to stop myself, I laid my head on his shoulder as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Once I did, I could not bring myself to move, he felt too good and we had been apart for far too long. Ariston did not move away, he seemed to lean into me a bit, relaxing, as if he had longed for this as much as I have.

* * *

"Mera, we are here." Ariston's voice was soft in my ear.

I opened my eyes, I had not realized I had fallen asleep, a peaceful drowsiness had settled into the depths of my soul as I yawned, a smile upon my lips. My head was still laying on Ariston's shoulder, our fingers and hands still intertwined except for now that my right hand was clutched around his arm, holding it close to me as I leaned against him. I moved a bit and looked up into Ariston's eyes as he watched me; soon we heard a frantic knock on my widow and turned to see Jack, who appeared a complete mess. I sat up and pointed to the back. Jack quickly opened the door as he climbed in and tried to wake Margret.

"Margret, Margret." Jack said, taking her face between his hands; he sounded frantic. She opened her brown eyes and threw her arms around him.

"Oh, Jack." She cried.

"I'm so sorry I wasn't there," Jack Apologized, holding her close. "I shouldn't have left, I was _stupid, so stupid."_

"It's alright, I'm fine, thanks to Mera." Margret said through her tears. Jack kissed her deeply then looked at me. The depth of the gratitude in his eyes was immeasurable.

"Thank you Mera, I don't know how you did it, but thank you for protecting her. I owe you everything." He said to me, his eyes and his voice were intense. I nodded. What do you say to that?

Jack helped Margret get out of the car and I got out as well. I looked over to see Ariston getting out of his car and closing the door behind him.

"I will walk you inside." Ariston said to me.

I was glad he was not going just yet, I did not want to be away from him, I could not take it with all the emotions going on within me. Ariston and I walked side by side behind Jack and Margret and decided to take the elevator. We stood near Margret and Jack, with them standing a ways in front of us as things turned out in the decently sized elevator box. Margret had her head resting on Jack's shoulder, and all I wished for beyond everything was to rest my head on Ariston's shoulder again, and to feel the warmth and comfort of his arms around me as I had in the hayloft.

Ariston was close to me in the elevator as we stood side by side, to the point where when I moved my arm an inch his hand was right there. He caressed my hand once then gently held it. I closed my eyes and smiled at the feeling and glanced up to see that Ariston was looking at me with that look that I had been longing to see. I realized in that moment that nothing had changed between us. I sighed in relief and smiled to him, caressing his thumb with my own and watching his smile grow as his eyes somehow became far more soft, caring.

When we reached the third floor we all went out and down the halls to Margret and I's apartment. Margret unlocked the door with her key, we all went inside and Ariston closed the door behind us. Jack brought Margret into her bedroom as I stood there with Ariston, then he came out a minute later and looked down at my hand intertwined with Ariston's; I let go of it and blushed. I had forgotten I had been holding Ariston's hand, the energy felt so much a part of me.

"I am going to stay with Margret tonight." Jack said to me.

"Of course." I said with a nod. It would not be the first time he spent the night during the last seven or eight months.

He looked between Ariston and I with a suspicious look on his face before walking back into Margret's bedroom and closing the door. I sat down on the couch feeling completely exhausted, I put my head in my hands and sighed. I was exhausted, tonight too intense to take. And how I was going to get through the rest of the night, to calm these emotions down enough for sleep to come, was a mystery to me.

"Do you want me to stay with you tonight?" Ariston asked, his voice kind.

I looked up to where he stood a few feet from the couch and saw in his eyes that he did not mean anything beyond sleep. A small smile came to my lips, relief filling me anew as a wonderful warm happiness coursed through my soul. He was offering to stay with me, to be here for me tonight, I could not explain to him how much that meant.

"Please do." I replied and he nodded. "Thank you so much." I waved him over.

He came without a moments hesitation and sat next to me, I sighed as I laid my head in the crook of his neck on his shoulder while he wrapped his arm around me and caressed my arm in a comforting way. I yawned again as I brought my legs to the couch and leaned into him as his warmth and very essence seemed seeped into my being. Ariston moved, lying down on the couch with me on his chest as he wrapped his left arm around me. This did not bother me at all, it felt unbelievably good. His hold on me was light, an offer to get up if I wished. I wrapped my arm around his torso and up around his shoulder, holding him snugly within my arms, he relaxed and pulled the blanket on the back of the couch over us.

His body was as hard muscled as a marble sculpture but I have never been so comfortable in my life; his great warmth seemed to seep into my very bones, bringing me such comfort and peace. He felt so very good, so very right.

"Sleep, Mera." He whispered so softly in my ear then kissed my forehead lightly, I held him a bit closer for a moment before I settled and sighed as I just treasured having this unbelievably incredible man in my arms. I drifted off to sleep in this daze of happiness; a tender smile upon my lips and a kind bliss within my soul.

* * *

**Author's Note: I love the ending 3 I hope you all enjoyed Chapter 6! Leave me a review if you have time! I adore hearing from my fans!**

**I will hopefully get Chapter 7 out sooner than I did this one! So many things kept getting in the way this past week and a half or so, but things are good!**


	9. Chapter Seven: Monday

**Chapter 7**

**Monday**

**"One word frees us of all the weight and pain of life: that word is love."**

**Sophocles**

I woke up in the morning slowly. It took me a moment to figure out why my bed was so hard and warm, like a living sculpture that conformed to my body, its muscled chest softly rising and falling with each breath. Strong arms surrounding me... I opened my eyes and remembered that I was laying on Ariston's chest, my arm was still wrapped around him and his right arm was wrapped around my waist, his left hand resting on my back, my face still buried within his neck as his mint and vanilla scent filled my lungs with every inhale. We had not moved since last nigh; I smiled, _he is here with me._ I felt so at peace that I closed my eyes, not wanting to wake him, not wanting him to get up. I sighed in contentment as I unconciously moved closer to him, and received a soft sound from him, one of happiness if I dared name the emotion.

"Good morning, Mera." I smiled, hearing his soft voice in my ear.

I looked up to see Ariston smiling to me, his head turned to meet my eyes. He looked so beyond beautiful, his eyes embracing mine making me feel even more weightless. My hand had somehow ended up resting upon his chest, a few of my fingers rested on his warm, smooth chest where it was exposed by the few undone buttons of his white dress shirt.

"Ariston," I said his name softly, and watched his smile grow as his eyes shined with such overwhelming elation it made me fall into him even further. "How long have you been awake?" I asked him.

"A little while." He answered. "I did not want to leave before you woke."

"I am grateful you did not leave." I told him, I would have_ hated_ waking without him.

"How did you sleep?" Ariston asked.

"Better than I have in a long while." I told him with a smile. "And you?" I asked, he laughed lightly.

"The same." He replied simply.

I got lost in his eyes, my heart beating faster realizing that we were lying down together and that I was in his arms and the possibilities this situation could offer. A blush covered my cheeks. His eyes changed and for a moment I could swear that we were on the same page, then he decided to sit up, bringing me with him. He did not look at me as I sat right along his side as he leaned forwards. Ariston took a pen and a piece of paper from the coffee table and wrote something down.

"If you should need me for any reason, this is my private number." Ariston told me, his face and voice were serious. He handed me the paper and I smiled, looking at the numbers there, then to him. "I should be going, we would not want any rumors to start." Ariston said with a smile as he stood up from the couch.

"I will see you in class." I said as I tried to hide my disappointment that he was leaving; my body already missed his warmth, _ached_ for it. He nodded at my words.

"Until then." He said, I smiled and his crooked smile grew, his perfect white teeth flashing as he shook his head gently and walked out the door.

I checked my watch, there were still two hours before class. I took my phone out and smiled as I entered Ariston's name and number into my contacts. I went into my bathroom and got out of my dress from last night and brushed my teeth. When I finished I looked at the bandage on my right shoulder, I had all but forgotten that the man's knife sliced me last night, the wound did not hurt at all even when I moved.

I was trying to decide whether it would be a good idea to shower with the bandage on, I had never had a wound like this before so I had no frame of reference. I decided to take it off and be careful not to get soap in the wound. I gently pealed the bandage off, my eyes going wide as I saw that there was no wound, just flawless skin. I ran my finger over it in shock. I had seen the wound last night, had felt it until the medicine Ariston sprayed on it numbed the pain, now there was not even a mark left. Some part of me knew it was because of Ariston.

After getting over my shock, I took a shower and dressed in a denim pencil skirt and a pink silk shirt with cap sleeves to hide the fact that the wound was gone. I slipped on my dark tan leather boots and looked at my watch to see that I still had an hour left before I would need to leave for History.

My mind was racing; from last night, to my missing wound, and the promise Ariston made, I could not seem to think straight. One thing I knew for certain was that I had to talk to Ariston, he seems to understand these kinds of things, and I knew that somehow everything was connected to him.

I put my headphones in and listened to my iPod as I sat down and tried to clear my mind, when that did not work I decided to draw. I took out my sketch pad, it has been far too long since I have sketched his face. I did various drawings of Ariston, my favorite of which is the one from this morning when I looked up at him and saw him smiling back to me, with such elation within those sky blue eyes. It was not long before I forgot my worries as I looked upon my sketch of his face, biting my lip as my smile somehow grew.

I realized then how much I had been holding back and trying not to feel because, subconsciously, I knew I was still Aaron's girlfriend. But now everything is different, _yet he still pulls away from me, as he did this morning_. _Why?_ I wondered. A frantic knock on my door brought me forth from my thoughts, I barely heard the knock over the music, so I took the ear buds out. A moment later the knock came again, even more frantically.

"I am coming." I said as I got up, wondering who could be at the door at this hour. "Aaron?" I was shocked to see his face, not able to understand why he is here.

He was still in his pajamas, and barefooted; his face was plastered with a look of worry. He threw his arms around me and held me close.

"I just got Jack's message about what happened last night," Aaron said, pulling back to look at me. He took my face between his hands. "Are you alright?"

"I am fine," I told him as I gently pulled away from his hands. "Not a scratch." Aaron gave me an odd look then glanced down to my shoulder and I remembered the wound. "Except for that." I said.

"May I?" Aaron asked as he raised his hand to move my sleeve.

"No," I said quickly as I pulled away before he could see that there was no wound. "Ariston took care of it last night, it does not even hurt." I did not miss the look in his eyes at the mention of Ariston's name, but he said nothing.

"You're okay?" Aaron asked again, I nodded with a smile.

"I am." I told him. "I appreciate your concern though." He gave a nod. "How have you been?"

"Alright." He said. "I miss you."

"I miss you too." I told him, he smiled a bit, meeting my eyes with longing for a time before he just sighed nearly inaudibly.

"I should go and get ready for school." He said.

"I would love to see Mr. Leason's reaction to you walking into class barefoot and in your pajamas'." I told him and Aaron laughed. Mr. Leason is a strict teacher; from what I hear he will give a student detention if they have so much as one hair out of place. That being said, he is absolutely brilliant in the field of engineering, one of the best, and that is one of Aaron's main interests.

"I'll see you around." Aaron said, I nodded and he walked away.

I closed the door behind him and sat down on the couch. I pulled back my sleeve just to check again that there was no wound, that I was not dreaming or going crazy. I once again ran my finger over the smooth skin and shook my head.

"Are you sure you don't want me to stay and walk you to class?" Jack asked Margret as they walked into the room. I quickly put my sleeve back in place before they could see.

"I'll be fine;" She reassured him, adding in, "Besides I have Mera, she can kick anyone's butt, as she proved last night." Margret said, her eyes locked on Jack's.

I was unsure if I should smile or not. Such conflicting emotions were running through me, half of me is proud of what I did because I protected Margret and who knows how many others. The other half of me is ashamed that I almost took a life, even a worthless one at that. As I said to Ariston last night, it is not for me to play god.

"I'll meet up with you as soon as I can." Jack promised.

I glanced up to see Margret in Jack's arms, they kissed like there was no existing without one another. I smiled and could not help thinking of Ariston; I could feel the blush on my cheeks at the thought of Ariston's lips crashing down on mine in such a way. I felt breathless, my heart racing. I bit my lip and shook my head in an attempt to clear it, knowing there was no hope for that.

_ What is this feeling that is taking over more and more of my soul by the day? This extraordinary feeling that is something between falling and flying?_ There is an undeniable attraction between Ariston and I, but there is more to it, something deep within me, something I cannot put into words. I smiled thinking of him, thoughts of him always bring a smile to my face, no matter the moment. He is always there, always with me, always causing feelings I could never have imagined existed before I looked into his eyes.

"Bye, Mera." Jack said, causing me to look up to him. "Take care of her for me."

"Always." I promised with a smile and a wave; he smiled and walked out of the door. Margret's face was still flushed; I smiled. She looked at me, her eyes dazed.

"I am um, am going to get ready." She said, stumbling over her words a bit. I tried not to laugh, understanding how she feels.

* * *

Margret and I walked to history together, my mind was still a jumbled mess as thoughts of Ariston, last night and my missing wound persisted. I just wished we could reach the class room faster so I could look upon him sooner.

"How is your arm?" Margret asked.

"It is healing well." I said, not looking at Margret.

"I am glad to hear that." Margret said. "So what happened with Ariston last night?"

"What?" I asked, the question catching me off guard as I looked at her. Half my mind panicked, wondering if she was asking about my shoulder and how I would explain how the wound was healed. Although I did not know Ariston's secret, I was very protective of it and of him. Margret just smiled to me.

"Jack said that when he came to the car your head was on Ariston's shoulder and you were holding hands, and he also said that he is sure that Ariston stayed with you last night." Relief filled me for the briefest of moments before my cheeks flamed red at her words. "Well?" She asked with a raised eyebrow and an implication in her voice.

"We talked in the car ride and I was tired so I laid my head on his shoulder and ended up falling asleep there." I told her as if it were nothing while trying to hide how much it meant to me.

"And last night?" Margret asked.

"He stayed and slept on the couch." I said, hoping I could get around this.

"Where did you sleep?" She asked. I sighed, knowing I could not lie to her.

"On the couch." I admitted, she smiled. "Nothing happened, I just slept in his arms, that is it. He was a true gentleman." I could not hide my smile no matter how hard I tried. I sighed and shook my head while smiling, finally giving into what I was feeling.

Margret and I walked into History, I smiled seeing Ariston, he smiled and nodded to me in hello. He kept his face formal, but I could see something more in his eyes. I went to my seat after tearing my eyes off his with difficulty.

* * *

When the class ended I waited for everyone else to leave the classroom. I was not going to wait for Ariston to talk to me, I was not going to take the chance that he would start avoiding me again. When the last of the students left, I went up to Ariston. He looked into my eyes, that same look within them that brought a smile to my lips, though there was also curiosity.

"We need to talk." I said, causing his curiosity to grow along with concern.

"Is everything alright?" Ariston asked.

I pulled the neck of my shirt over my shoulder, he looked where there should have been a wound, then closed his eyes for a moment as he took a deep breath, before looking at me again. Clearly he was not certain of what to say.

"Why is there not so much as a scar?" I asked him, he was silent. "You did this?" I asked.

"Yes," He answered then smiled and shook his head, his eyes helpless. "I could not help myself as I held you last night, I cannot stand the thought of you being in pain." I was touched, _I always knew he cared_. I took a deep breath and covered my shoulder.

"Okay." I said.

"Okay?" He asked, slightly surprised. "No questions?"

"No," I said with a shake of my head. "My grandmother always said that there are those who have the healing touch." I smiled to him. "I just never expected to meet one." He laughed once, amazement in his eyes, before speaking.

"I would appreciate it if you would not tell Margret or anyone else about what I can do," Ariston said. "Unless you already have."

"I have not and I will not tell her or anyone else." I said to him. "How long should I keep my shoulder covered for?"

"Five days should do it, since only you and I truly saw the extent of the wound." He said after a moment and I nodded. "Thank you."

"I should be the one thanking you." I said. "Thank you."

"Anytime." He said. Now that that was said and done, I had another question, one I had been wondering at for a while.

"How come I have not seen you outside of class since we spoke at the Stables?" I asked.

"I thought you could use some space, time to think." Ariston answered. I shook my head with a smile and tried to say something then just nodded.

"Not any more." I told him. He smiled while taking a deep breath, _I have missed his smile._

"You have been avoiding me as well." Ariston said.

"I thought you did not want my company." I admitted. He shook his head with a smile, those eyes filled with so many emotions as I felt even more drawn to him.

"Far from it." He said. "You are all I can think about." He allowed that to sink in for a moment, while I looked into his eyes in wonder. "The Stables then? After school?"

"I will be there." I told him.

He put his hand out and I placed mine in his, feeling his storm flow through me along with such comfort. He kissed my hand and we stood there looking at each other for a time, I could not find a good enough reason to look away until I heard the school bell. I blushed and he kissed my hand once more before he let go of it.

* * *

I sat in the car with Margret as we drove through the Town of Blueridge. It used to be a small town, but when the school went in and wealthy students began to arrive, it was not long before the locals saw the opportunity to make a profit. Mansions and houses were built, high end shopping went in and just like that the town was bustling.

I looked out the window but all I could think about was Ariston. We had such a great time riding together. We walked our horses out in the cross-country field afterwards and talked just as we had the day we met. Leaving him was difficult, but I had something I had to do today. We agreed to meet up again tomorrow at the Stables, and I could hardly wait!

Margret pulled up in front of the large brick building that was Green Hills Nursing Home. I came here on a class trip last year and since then I have been coming when I can to visit with the people here. Some of these people here do not even get visitors, either they have no family or their children do not take the time to visit them. They take good care of the people here and I enjoy being with people who have lived for so long, they always have great stories to tell.

"I will pick you up in a few hours." Margret said.

"Thank you, you are the best." I said with a smile.

"I know." She said and we laughed.

I got out and walked into Green Hills and towards the desk. Kally Bennett was at the front desk, she is three years older than I am. She works here part-time and is attending her last year of college.

"Hey, Mera." She smiled as she we greeted; Kally is always smiling. "How have you been?"

"I have been well. How are you?" I asked her.

"Same, I got an A in History." She said.

"That's my favorite class." I said, trying and failing not to blush while remembering just _why_ it is my favorite class.

Every weekday I cannot help anxiously awaiting my first class, knowing just whom will be waiting there for me to look upon.

"Who is first on my list today to visit?" I asked her, she glanced to a post-it.

"Mr. Peterson in Room 105; I think you two will get along famously! This way." We walked down the hall side by side. "So how is Aaron?" She asked.

"He is alright. This morning was the first time I have spoken to him since we broke up last week." I told her.

"Oh honey, I am so sorry to hear that. Are you alright?" She asked.

"I was the one who broke up with him, it simply was not meant to be." I said, she nodded.

"I know what you mean, I broke up with Tom for the same reason a few months ago." She told me with empathy, I gave her a smile and a nod in understanding. "We need more than what we had I suppose, destiny always does work wonders at the right time." I glanced away as one face entered my mind, making me smile as I noticed Kally watching me as her expression became stunned. "Is there a new new man for you?" She asked. I blushed and smiled thinking of Ariston. "Oh my...! Tell me!"

"We met a few weeks ago, he is absolutely wonderful but I am not sure what this is yet. He is a bit older than me though." I said, she smiled and winked.

"Well, age just means experience." She said in a way that made me blush. Kally laughed at my own inexperience on the subject, and I joined in the sound. "This is it." She said at room 105.

"Thank you." I said to her, she smiled and winked again then walked towards whatever was needed of her.

I looked into the room; a man sat on a recliner as he read from a worn book. He looked to be about eighty-five years old, his hair was gone and his jaw was covered in white stubble, yet he possessed this way about him. This man was someone who had lived a life he was proud of and was at peace now with his choices in life.

"Mr. Peterson?" I said as I knocked on the open door. The elderly man looked up at me and smiled a kind smile. He had bright clear blue eyes, like tinted glass held up to the light.

"Yes, miss?" He said.

"I am Mera Vandenberg, I am something of an artiest and I was hoping to draw you if that is okay?" I asked as he removed his glasses.

"You can if you like, I am not much too look at though." He said in a kind and humble voice. I smiled and walked in.

"On the contrary, I think you are quite handsome." I said as I took a seat next to him.

"You're being too kind to an old man." He said, I laughed. "How would you like me?" He asked, moving his head around and then I spotted the image I wanted.

"There, perfect." He held still. I opened my sketchpad and took out the right graphite pencils, then began to sketch his appearance.

"If you think I am handsome now, you should have seen me sixty years ago, I was quite the catch." He said, and I smiled as I worked, meeting his eyes as he laughed. "Or at least my wife thought so. I never could understand what a gal like that saw in me." He said with amazement in his voice.

"How old were you when you got married?" I asked.

"She was seventeen and I was nineteen when we met, she knocked me off my feet the first time I looked into her brown eyes. We were married three months later. Everyone told us we were crazy to get married so young, but we knew what we were doing." He said with a smile that took ten years off his face. "Two years later we had our little girl Rebecca and over the next twelve years we had six more children, five boys and another girl." I looked up at him and froze; that look in his eyes, that sadness, I would know it anywhere. I have seen it countless times before, _in Ariston's eyes._

"Is that your wife?" I asked a moment later, looking at a black and white photo of a beautiful woman.

"That's my Wendy. She passed away three years ago." He said, sorrow in his voice, that same heartbroken emotion upon his features that I have seen upon Ariston's face and in his sky blue eyes.

"I am sorry for your loss." I said to him. He nodded, tears in his eyes. He wiped them away and smiled to me.

"I hope you can forgive an old man." He said. "I cannot help it when I think of her, she was everything."

"Do your children visit you?" I asked after a moment.

"My children and grandchildren visit me all the time." He smiled.

"How many grandchildren do you have?" I asked as I went back to drawing.

"Thirteen in all; six boys and seven girls, and from them I have ten great grandchildren, the youngest is four." He smiled and pointed to a photo that showed a younger Mr. Peterson with a huge family and his wife sitting next to him, holding his hand lovingly.

"Wow, they are beautiful." I told him with a smile. "I have a small family myself, I cannot imagine having such a large brood."

"There is nothing like building a life with the woman you love." Mr. Peterson said to me. "Getting married, buying a house and making it into a home; having children and raising them together. There is nothing more wonderful than family." I had to agree with him on that.

I finished the drawing of him. I could not help but think of Ariston, _is that what happened to his wife? Did she die?_ I pulled the drawing from my sketch pad and handed it to Mr. Peterson.

"Here you are." I said, trying to keep the sadness from my soul. He looked at it and his eyes widened.

"You are some artist." He said in amazement.

"Thank you." I smiled.

"May I see your other drawings?" Mr. Peterson asked, glancing to the paper in my hands.

"Certainly." I handed my sketchpad to him. He looked through them, one by one as he took the time to appreciate each one.

"Who is this man you draw so much?" He asked. I blushed and glanced down, forgetting about my drawings of Ariston.

"Just a man I know." I replied, not wanting to admit my infatuation with a teacher who was so much to me.

"He looks at you like this?" He asked and I nodded as I blushed further. "This man cares for you a great deal." He said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. I looked up at him, shocked and slightly hopeful at his words.

"What makes you say that?" I asked. He smiled.

"The look in his eyes, the smile on his face." He said with knowing eyes. "The look is always the same." I took a deep breath as my mind went through all Ariston is, my curiosity at his sadness. How can I help him if I do not know what caused his heartbreak?

"He has a great sadness within him, I want to help him but I do not know how." I said to Mr. Peterson, he nodded.

"Sadness like that can only come from one thing." He told me with those knowing eyes. "He lost someone, someone he loved dearly. All you can do is be there for him, and listen when he is ready to talk. I wish you the best of luck with him." I smiled, a slight blush covering my cheeks.

"Thank you." I said to him, he nodded as he gave me a warm smile, handing me the sketchpad back.

"It was nice to meet you." I said.

"It was nice meeting you too, Mera." He said with a smile as I gathered up my things.


	10. Chapter Eight: Tuesday

**Author's Note: Hello everyone! I apologize for taking so long to get this one up, and I can tell you that the next chapter will be longer than this one, and it is by far one of my favorites! And for you new readers to this story, this is definitly an important chapter in the story, revealing a few truths. I hope you have enjoyed your day!  
**

**Love Jasmine**

* * *

**Chapter 8**

**Tuesday**

**"Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all."**

**Alfred Tennyson**

I sat on the Stables' floor and drew Ariston riding Vrontos. The morning stable work was done and there were still a few hours before school. Marge, Ella, Olivia and Heather went back to their dorms already and Margret said she would pick me up an hour before school. I still have an hour to wait for her arrival, but I enjoyed the crisp fall air and the horses near by. I have spent most of my life in barns and around horses, so it felt like home.

I looked at my drawing when it was finished. I have to admit that it does scare me how... infatuated I seem to have become with Ariston. It has been two weeks since we met and from the day I met him, I have not been able to think of anything other than him. That is not the only thing, it is getting stronger, the attraction. When I am around him, it is all I can do to keep from touching him, from kissing him. _Perhaps that is why he keeps his hands clasped behind his back for much of the time we are near each other_. I cannot even listen to music anymore, every song makes me think of him.

Since yesterday the same thoughts have kept running though my mind. _Will Ariston tell me about his wife? Can I help him if he does?_

I could not help but wonder what this woman is, or was, like. She was beautiful, that was obvious by Kallisto, their daughter. My mind made an image of what his wife would have looked like, who she was. I saw long platinum blond hair, straight, unlike Kallisto's curls; a beautiful smile that lights up a room, a sweet laugh along with a sense of humor that kept Ariston laughing. I could almost see her with Ariston. _I wonder what he was like when they were together_. I imagined him laughing freely and smiling to her with love in his eyes. A smile came to my lips at the thought of him being so happy, but sadness still lingered in my heart because I knew that in one way or another, he lost her. He seems happy when he is with me, but even then the sadness still appears from time to time.

I went to a blank page and decided to try and draw his wife, what I imagined she looked like. I saw her with a smile on her face as she danced in a grassy meadow with the same grace that Ariston has. Her long, straight hair blew in the wind with flowers woven in it, and a bright smile lit up her beautiful, angular features with the brightest of joys.

I began sketching, working in all the details in my mind. I smiled, looking at the image I had completed in a matter of minutes. The same question echoed through my mind as I looked at that breathtaking woman. _What happened to her?_

With no clear answer in sight, I decided to work on some images to help take my mind from this subject. I changed the page and decided to do some sketches of the Stables. I have always loved the architecture, it is exquisite.

I was sketching my third sketch of the Stables and two of the horses when a someone blocked my light. My heart fluttered and a blush settled over my cheeks; just from the shape of the shadow I knew who the man was. I smiled as I looked up at Ariston standing before me, his hands were behind his back as always and a smile was on his face.

"Hi." I said, wondering how he does that, appearing soundlessly, almost out of thin air.

"Hello." He greeted. He gestured to the spot on the floor next to me. "May I?" He asked, I chuckled.

"I think there is enough room for the both of us." I said, he chuckled and sat down a foot from me. "I am glad you came." I told him. Yesterday we agreed that we would spend more time together today, he did not say when though.

"I told you I would." Ariston said with a smile as he looked into my eyes. "May I gaze upon your art?"

"If you like." I replied.

He held his hand out and I placed my sketchpad within it. I watched him as he examined the drawing I had been working on. I could not help looking him over, the way his cinnamon skin seems to glow, his beautiful eyes and the structure of his face, along with the expressions upon it. He seemed impressed by my drawing.

"This is beautiful and very precise. You are quite an artist." Ariston told me, glancing to me for a time before looking back at my work. "Do you get this talent from your father?"

"Yes I do. How did you know that?" I asked.

"Just a guess." He said with a smirk.

He flipped to the first of my drawings and went through the pages one by one, he stopped at one of them in surprise, not able to take his eyes off of it. I suddenly remembered that there were numerous drawings of him in there, he gazed upon one sketch which showed him smiling as he glanced at me when he taught his class a few days before. He looked up from the page and into my eyes. His eyes unreadable, I blushed deeper.

"You inspire me." I told him with a shrug.

Again there was that something in his eyes, he smiled slightly before he went to the next page and on to the next. I wondered if he saw what I had drawn, the difference from the first drawing of him that I drew on the day I met him to the one I made yesterday. In the first one, the sadness was all to clear in his gaze, in the following images the sadness became less evident and his smile truer when he was with me, _yet that sadness still lingers._

"You capture me well." Ariston said.

"I draw what I see." I told him.

He continued going through my drawings. Ariston gasped at one of the sketches, his eyes going wide in shock as he examined the drawing intently. I looked away from his face and at it, it was the sketch I made out of the image in my mind of what his wife would look like. _Is he upset that I would try and draw her?_

After his shock wore off, Ariston smiled and began laughing, a deep booming laugh, I sat there in astonishment. I had never heard him laugh like that, a true laugh. He looked at me, his eyes had tears in them from his laughter.

"She _hated_ dancing." He explained in between his fits of hysteria. I smiled and joined in his laughter. When it died down, he still looked at the drawing before him. "Where did you see her likeness?" He asked, stroking the image tenderly.

"You showed me the photo of your daughter, and you said that she looked like her mother." I told him. "My mind made up the rest."

"It looks exactly like her." Ariston said with a shake of his head and another chuckle. I took a deep breath, _I have to ask._

"What happened to her?" I asked. "Your wife?" His expression became pained and a part of me wished I had not asked.

"My wife died, she and our three sons, many years ago." Ariston said, his voice dejected. I was shocked, _it is worse than I thought._

"How?" I asked in a whisper.

"A car crash." Was all he said.

I was speechless, _no wonder he has such a deep sadness within him._ He looked at me and I could not help myself, I threw my arms around him and held him close. After a moment he put his arms around me and accepted the comfort. I put my hand on the back of his head, in his curly soft hair. His hair was warm, as if he had been sitting in the sun.

"I know it does not change anything," I said to him. "But I am so sorry that happened to you, and for all that you have been through since. I can understand where your sadness comes from now." I told Ariston and felt him nod.

He clutched me closer, his breathing deep. I held him for a few minutes more, my cheek next to his, trying to will his wounds to heal, his pain to end. When Ariston pulled back to look into my eyes we were still in each other's arms. He smiled and shook his head.

"Why are you crying?" He asked softly. I did not realize I was, but now I felt the wetness upon my cheeks.

"For your sorrows." I told him.

He looked deeply touched. He reached up and placed his hands on my cheeks and gently wiped the tears away with his thumbs. His hands felt so warm and wonderful on my skin, I closed my eyes. For a moment, I thought I felt his hot breath on my lips, I leaned forward but then it was gone and so were his hands. I opened my eyes, he was still looking at me, longing now apparent in his gaze.

I wanted to kiss him so badly, _I wonder how he would react if I did_. In the end I decided against it and sat back against the wall.

"What was her name? Your wife?" I asked a few moments later. His eyes seemed distant, a small smile lit his face.

"Elianna." He smiled at the name. "The moment I saw her I fell in love with her." He sighed with a smile on his face. "She was so beautiful, pale blond flowing hair, green eyes, soft skin and such a smile, just as you drew her." His smile widened. "Except for the fact that she _hated_ dancing with the passion that others love it. Every time she had to dance she would make this face, it was adorable. Every time I saw it I remembered her telling me about when her mother would make her dance when she was a little girl, and I could almost see her as a little girl with that stubborn look on her face." He smiled and shook his head. "It was only our children, mainly Kallisto, who could get that woman to dance with a smile on her face." I smiled.

"The moment I saw her I knew I had to have her, and luckily she felt the same about me. The more I got to know her the deeper I fell in love with her. We were married a month after we met. We had four children, three sons, Sophros, Elijah and Solon, and our daughter Kallisto." He said.

"What were your sons like?" I asked after a moment. He smiled and laughed.

"They were like me, a little too much so if you ask me." He laughed and I laughed with him, not being able to imagine that being a bad thing. "Our eldest, Sophros, and our youngest son, Solon, took after me greatly. They were partners in crime, they drove their mother wild with all their mischief. Elianna knew how to handle them though, they thought twice after she would find out their doings. Of course it did not stop them but they tried harder to make sure she did not find out." He laughed.

"Our middle son Elijah may have looked the most like me out of our children, but he was always more like his mother, kind and strong, never one to make mischief and always putting others first. He was truly compassionate."

We sat there for the next hour as Ariston told me stories of his wife and their children, we laughed together about the things his sons would do. He seems a lot freer when he speaks about them.

"... You would think that finding the lion after the two week hunt they endured would have been enough for them but no, they had to taunt the poor animal and fight it." Ariston said, I stared at him with wide eyes and a gaping expression, he laughed.

"That was Elianna and I's reaction when we found out. It took weeks for the claw marks to heal completely." He shook his head and sighed. "I miss them, every moment of every day I miss them." He said, he looked to me and smiled. "Thank you, it has been a long time since I have spoken of them, it feels... good." Ariston said to me with gratitude in his voice.

"You're welcome." I said, looking into his eyes. A moment later a car horn sounded. _Why does Margret have to be on time? _I wondered with irritation. "That is Margret, I must go." I told Ariston. I opened up my sketch pad and took out the drawing of Elianna, his wife, and handed it to him. "For you." He gave me such a smile.

"My thanks." He said. I smiled, seeing his true gratitude in his eyes.

He stood up and offered me his hand, I smiled and took it, enjoying the feeling of his skin on mine. We were close when I stood up, I was lost in his sky blue eyes, understanding them better now. It was almost as if I could navigate them, but nonetheless, I was still lost in their unfathomable depths. My heart was still pounding and he was still holding my hand, a deep need in his eyes. A car horn startled me out of my daze and I took my hand back as I blushed and picked up my bag.

"Until later." He said with a smile, I nodded, returning his smile.

I finally turned with effort and walked away, I could feel his eyes on me. Margret was waiting for me, I got into her car.

"Hello, Margret." I greeted her, still in a daze as I buckled myself in.

"Hey you." She smiled. "Let me guess, you were with Ariston?" Margret asked.

"How did you know?" I asked, confused.

"You have that look you always get when you have been with him." She told me with a smile, my smile grew and I bit my lip.


	11. Chapter Nine: Wednesday

**Chapter 9**

**Wednesday**

**"How silver-sweet sound lovers tongues by night, like soft music to attending ears."**

**William Shakespeare**

After school I went to the Stables with Margret. It was cloudy and humid out, the weatherman said we have a storm coming. After Margret rode Willow, I helped her brush the mare down.

"I cannot wait to go shopping this weekend." Margret enthused. "Everything is all set for us to go to New York. Right after school on Friday we'll leave for the airport, then from there we will fly to New York and stay at my parent's penthouse. We will go out for dinner, then on Saturday and Sunday we will shop!" Margret explained.

"Are you sure you are okay going after what happened?" I asked her, looking over Willow's back at Margret. She rolled her warm brown eyes.

"Like I am going to let that low life steal my fun!" Margret said. I smiled and shook my head, _I will say this for Margret, not even Armageddon could keep her from shopping._

I felt something, a pull, and turned my head to see Ariston walking into the Stables. A blush came to my cheeks and my heart began to flutter. Ariston inclined his head in greeting to me with a smile on his face. I returned the greeting with a smile of my own.

"Do you still need a ride back to our dorm?" Margret asked.

"No, I am good." I told her, not able to take my eyes off of Ariston's.

If running through the rain the four miles back to my dorm, meant being able to spend a few moments with Ariston, then it was well worth it. Besides, I love being in the rain, reveling as I dance through the wondrous drops and laugh in delight. Storms always make me feel alive!

"Alright; I'll see you later." Margret said. Ariston walked out of the Stables, to get Vrontos I presume, and I turned to Margret.

"Later." I said.

I walked down the aisle in search of the man who occupies my every thought, and found him a few minutes later walking into the Stables, leading Vrontos. I smiled and went to them.

"Hello." I said to Vrontos, stroking the beautiful stallion's cheek. The horse was happy as always. Ariston laughed once and I looked up to see him. "Hello Ariston." I greeted him.

"Hello Mera." Ariston smiled. We began to walk side by side. "I sent the drawing you did of Elianna to Kallisto, she laughed as hard as I did to see her mother dancing with a smile. Thank you again."

"You're welcome." I said.

"Are you riding?" Ariston asked.

"No, Margret already rode Willow today." I told him.

"Would you like to ride Vrontos then?" He asked. I was amazed, _he is going to let me ride his horse?_

"Truly?" I asked.

"Of course." Ariston said. "I do owe you for taking care of him the day we met." He reminded me. "After I warm him up you are welcome to ride him if you like."

"I would love to!" I exclaimed with a huge smile. "I will go change."

He nodded, a smile on his face. I practically ran to the tack room, I grabbed my riding breeches and changed into them in the bathroom, then came out to put my boots on. Ariston walked in as I was zippering up my boots, he eyed the old leather. They were not nearly as nice as his, they were worn in most places, but the leather was soft and supple and they were in decent enough shape. It was not as if I had the money for new ones.

"I bought them on consignment when I outgrew my old pair." I told Ariston, speaking of my boots. "On the bright side, at least I did not have to break them in." I laughed and he joined in.

It takes months of use to break in a brand new pair of tall riding boots, and it can hurt quite a bit since even the most expensive leather is stiff and gives you sores to start out with. I found that out the hard way when my father bought me a brand new pair of tall boots on my fourteenth birthday. There was a strange look of longing in Ariston's eyes when he looked at the boots.

"Do I need spurs?" I asked him.

"No, Vrontos does not like them." Ariston said absentmindedly, I nodded and turned around to close my tack trunk.

I could feel his eyes on me, it was not an uncomfortable feeling in the least. I picked up my helmet and held it under my arm.

"Ah, I almost forgot." Ariston said to me. "I have something for you."

"For me?" I asked in surprise.

Ariston smiled, went to his white oak trunk trimmed in royal blue and opened it. He came back with a pair of brand new Roeckl riding gloves. I gasped as I took them from his hands slowly. When we rode together on Monday I discovered that my gloves had finally given way and had to throw them out, so I had wrapped Band-Aids on my ring fingers to prevent blisters, it was all I could do until I could get to a tack shop sometime, but now...

"I saw them in the tack shop yesterday and could not resist." Ariston said with a smile. "Now you no longer have to wear Band-Aids."

I undid the Velcro and slid my hands into them, a perfect fit. I looked up to Ariston with a smile, still filled with gratitude at this simple gesture.

"You have no idea how much these mean to me." I told him. A fierce joy came over his features at my words, making my smile grow.

"I am happy you like them." He said to me. I became lost in his eyes until he turned to his trunk, leaning over to close it. I blushed as I realized how _amazing _he looks in riding apparel. He turned around. "Are you ready?" He asked, snapping me out of my thoughts.

"I am." I said quickly.

* * *

"Your turn." Ariston said as he hopped off Vrontos. Warming the horse up did not take long at all. I looked at Vrontos, way up to the saddle on his back.

"I think I am going to need a leg up." I said, Ariston chuckled.

"Of course, he is quite a way up." He said, I laughed.

I walked over and took the reins into my left hand and held onto the saddle. I bent my left leg. Ariston came up behind me and gently placed his hands under my left shin. The feeling of his hands on my leg was distracting to say the least.

"One, two, three." Ariston said. On three, I jumped and he lifted my leg, giving me a boost; when I was high enough I threw my right leg over the horse's back and landed with my bottom in the saddle perfectly, it is one of those things you simply have to a science after doing it thousands of times. It was a very comfortable saddle, even though it was a bit big for me.

Once I was seated, Ariston let go of my leg. The stirrups were far too long, I could not even touch them with my toes.

"I will fix them." Ariston said, seeming to read my mind.

He placed his hand on my calf and moved my leg out of the way, then proceeded to fix the stirrup leather to a perfect length, the bottom of the stirrup iron coming to about two inches above my ankle. When he finished he moved my leg back and placed my toe on the stirrup iron.

"How is that?" He asked.

"Perfect." I said, he smiled up to me and walked around to fix my other stirrup.

I could have moved my leg, but I had to admit that I liked when he did it, I liked it when he touched my calf. He was very respectful but his touch still made my skin tingle warmly. When he was done he smiled up to me.

"Would you like me to give you a lesson on how to ride him?" He asked.

"I was hoping you would." I told him with a smile.

Each horse is different, they each have their own quirks, and even though some may be similar in certain ways, it is good to talk to the horse's rider about how to correctly ride the horse in question.

"Let's start with a walk so you can get a feel for him." Ariston said.

I nodded and shortened up my reins. I squeezed with my legs gently and Vrontos began to walk in a large circle. His walk is smooth, he felt good to me.

"Are you ready for trot rising?" Ariston asked after the first circle.

"I am." I said.

"Then begin." He requested.

I squeezed with my legs and Vrontos started trotting. I posted the trot. Posting is one of the first things you learn when you start riding. Up, down, up, down, up, down, rising from the saddle and sitting in time with the motion of the outside front leg. Like his walk, Vrontos' trot was smooth, fluid but slightly quicker than Willow's.

"Very good, now gently ask him to be round, he does not take much." Ariston said.

I spread my hands apart and pulled on one rein then the other in a quick motion time after time, Vrontos' head went down and his neck curved perfectly. When a horse is round they move better.

"Good, now be still with your hands, he just needed to be asked to be round, but keep some light pressure on his mouth." Ariston instructed. Vrontos moved perfectly, doing exactly as I asked. I could not help smiling. "Change direction, when you are ready." He said, I turned Vrontos and cut through the center of the circle I was on, sitting two bumps before posting again to get on the correct diagonal.

"Are you ready to canter?" Ariston asked.

I nodded. I sat the trot then put my outside leg behind the girth and Vrontos went into a smooth canter. _This is fun!_

"Go down the long side now." Ariston instructed. I went down the long side and ended up cantering around the whole ring a few times. "Ask for a lead change." Vrontos' and I cantered across the center of the ring at a diagonal, and when we grew closer to the opposite side, I put what was now my outside leg behind the girth, causing Vrontos to switch legs and leads in a smooth transition.

"Walk for a moment." Ariston said when I neared him, I did as he asked.

"That was wonderful." I said with a huge smile I always get when I ride.

"Would you like to jump?" Ariston asked with a smile that matched mine.

I could feel my eyes light up, I felt like a kid in a penny candy store that had been given a million dollars to spend!

"Could I?" I asked in excitement. He laughed at my expression.

"You may. He gets excited when he jumps so you will need to hold him back, it does not take much, just a little reminder for him to keep calm." Ariston said, I nodded. "Trot the red and white cross rail."

I shortened the reins and got a trot on the circle, pulling Vrontos' head up gently while still having him collected as I made a straight line for the cross rail. It was small, only two feet, and on a horse this size it would be like stepping over a pole on the ground. I sat the trot on the way to the jump, I could feel Vrontos getting excited, I pulled back slightly on the reins and he slowed to a better speed. I gave with the reins as we went over the jump, giving the horse his neck and going into half seat.

"Very good, again." Ariston said. I posted the trot after the jump and went around to jump it again. "Now canter the vertical."

The vertical was about 2'6, nothing big. We cantered it with ease, Vrontos is a beautiful and graceful jumper with perfect timing.

"Canter the vertical to the oxer." Ariston said.

I smiled, knowing I was going to enjoy this. Vrontos seemed to be enjoying it as much as I was. We jumped the first jump then I sat back and collected him for the second, counting the strides to get the right distance. When we got back to Ariston, I walked the horse as I gave him a pat on the neck and he nodded his head, his ears forward with excitement from the jumping.

"Could I jump a course?" I asked Ariston.

"Would you like to choose it or should I?" He asked, making the smile upon my lips somehow grow.

"I will, I love making courses." I told him, he nodded.

"By all means, jump anything you like; Vrontos is more than capable and I know you are as well." He said, I smiled to him.

I was lost in Ariston's eyes and it was a few moments before I could look up and make a course. I designed my course from the jumps that were in the large arena. I picked ten jumps to jump, most of them about 4 feet tall, and a few of them oxer's!

"Alright, lets do this." I said to Vrontos, giving him a pat on the neck, I was amazed when he nodded his head and whinnied a bit.

I got a good hold of the reins, which I had shortened, then put my leg behind the girth, remembering to be gentle. We went from a standstill to a canter without so much as a walk or trot step in between. I collected the canter on the circle then we sailed over the first of my jumps, a 3' vertical. The second jump was a 3'6 oxer four strides away from the first jump. From there I turned Vrontos right and made a hook to jump the 3' bounce, meaning there is no stride in between the two jumps, you jump one, land, then jump the other. Between his fluid canter and graceful jumping, it felt like we were flying. Each time I landed, my eyes were immediately looking for the next jump, plotting my course.

I turned left after the bounce and jumped an in and out, meaning you jump one jump in, then canter a few strides and jump the second one out. It was made up of two 4' oxer's. Vrontos sailed over them with ease, I could not help the laugh of delight that escaped my lips. I turned him left towards a 4'6 oxer then right to jump a 4' vertical. The last of my ten jumps in the course I created were two 4' vertical's, another in and out.

I ended my course cantering in a circle around Ariston, I did not dare look at him yet, I did not want to lose focus, doing so on a horse could be dangerous. I gave Vrontos a pat on the neck.

"Good boy!" I exclaimed.

We went to a trot, then a walk. Vrontos was not even winded. Once we were walking I looked to Ariston, his smile matched mine, ear to ear.

"You looked like you enjoyed that." He said.

"I did, _immensely._" I said. "Do you want me to cool him out?" I asked Ariston.

"Actually, I was thinking about taking Vrontos on the trail. We could use a tour guide, seeing as how I do not know the lands as you do, and there is more than enough room on Vrontos without the saddle if you would like to join us?" Ariston asked, looking into my eyes.

"I would love to." I said.

I took my feet out of the stirrups and held the reins with my left hand. I took hold of the saddle and swung my right leg over the saddle to slide off of Vrontos and to the ground. I pulled the reins over Vrontos' head, Ariston was standing there patiently waiting for them. I placed the reins in his hands.

"You should jump him cross-country, he excels in that." Ariston said. "Perhaps next time." I smiled.

"I can ride him again?" I asked in amazement.

"I do not see why not, you looked amazing on him. You two make quite a team." Ariston said to me.

I could not help myself. In my excitement I threw my arms around Ariston's neck and hugged him close. He seemed surprised again, and then he hugged me back gently, as if I were breakable.

"Thank you so much." I said. He laughed.

"You are very welcome, Mera." Ariston's hot breath tickled my ear, making me shiver.

Suddenly I felt different, something changed even though he did not hold me any differently. I felt some of the storm running throughout my body, it was because I realized he was holding me, because of how close we were. I pulled back while blushing and Ariston let me go and took a step back, again I saw him pulling away from me. He turned away from me and walked to the other side of Vrontos.

I walked with him to the fence with Vrontos between us. He was doing it again, putting distance between us. My body was still tingling, my mind running through what would happen if we were close again. My cheeks turned red and my heart pounded at that possibility. I bit my lip as my soul as well as my body communicated to me how much I longed for such contact. This yearning was too much to take, and my mind only made it that much more difficult not to walk right up to him and find a way to show him how he was making me feel... I shook my head, trying to reclaim my bearings and calm these emotions to a feasible amount before I burst.

When we arrived at the fence, Ariston threw the reins over Vrontos' neck. The horse stayed perfectly still while Ariston removed the saddle and pads from his back. I could still feel the ghost of Ariston's touch and his body. I tried to keep theses kinds of thoughts out of my mind but it was hard to do with him near. Ariston had the saddle off in no time, he placed it on the fence with the saddle pads under it and the girth on top.

Ariston came over to stand before me. He raised his hand and undid the chinstrap to my helmet, then took it off my head.

"You will not be needing that, I will keep you safe." Ariston said. _I already knew that,_ I thought as I gazed into his the blue of his eyes.

I decided to take my hair down and pulled the gold colored elastic out, combing through my hair with my fingers to rid myself of knots as gently as I could manage; Ariston watched me as I did so.

"Any hay?" I asked, gesturing to my hair. He laughed.

"None." Ariston said, turning away from me. He gave Vrontos a pat on the neck before springing onto his back with an ease and grace that left me astonished.

My first thought was that I hoped he did not expect me to be able to do that. Ariston laughed at my expression and held his hand out to me. There was this sweet gentleness within his eyes that had a calming effect that I so desperately needed; all I wanted was to be with him, not to rush anything. I sighed in relief, both from knowing I did not have to find a way onto the stallions back and from the relief brought to my body, then I grasped his strong forearm. He pulled me up onto Vrontos like I weighed nothing to him.

I sat behind Ariston with my body flush against his, I blushed thinking about how our bodies seemed to fit together, while trying to keep those kinds of thoughts away. I wrapped my arms around his waist, his clothing was so thin that I could feel the contours of his sculpted abs. The feeling of his hot, granite like body against mine is unlike anything. My heart was pounding and I was sure he could feel it.

"Which way?" Ariston asked, his voice deep with some kind of emotion I could not name, though his tenor spoke to the desires of my own body as they flamed to life once again.

"Down there." I said, breathlessly pointing down to the right, to the woods. Ariston turned his head around to look at me, embracing my soul with sky blue, and smiled a huge crooked grin. I was left stunned.

"Hold on." He said and I held on tighter to his body. Ariston clucked and we took off at a full on gallop down the path.

It was exhilarating, my hair flapped in the wind behind me, I could see perfectly over Ariston's shoulder. I laughed and Ariston laughed with me. I was amazed at the sound, it was a real laugh. It brought such a feeling of joy to my heart.

We went through the cross-country field and then into the woods at amazing speeds, Ariston is an amazing rider and Vrontos is a true equal. We went down a hill then across a river, the water splashed on us and we laughed again. We rode like this for the next twenty minutes before he walked Vrontos as we laughed in pure delight.

"I cannot believe Vrontos is not so much as winded." I said in amazement.

"His breed is renowned for their endurance." Ariston replied. "They were war horses and messengers in the days of antiquity and long before."

"What is his breed?" I asked, I had been trying to figure that out for some time but have forgotten to ask until now. "The closest I can guess is an Andalusian."

"Vrontos is an Alki, an ancient breed. The name is Greek, in simple terms, it means strength." Ariston informed me. "Though few know it, Andalusian's, among others, are descended from his breed."

"I have never heard of it before." I said.

"The Alki are a very rare breed, lost to most. Those who have them make sure to keep them pure bred, to maintain the breeds integrity." Ariston informed me. After looking into my eyes for a time, Ariston looked back to the trail, which he had navigated without any instruction on my part.

"You seem to know the trail well." I accused with a smile.

"Perhaps I simply wanted the pleasure of your company." He said, I smiled and we rode for a few minutes more in silence.

"You speak fluent Greek I take it?" I asked after a moment, he chuckled.

"I do, among many other languages." He said, looking back into my eyes.

"Would you say something to me in Greek? I have always wanted to hear the language spoken." I asked with pleading eyes.

"Eímai ev̱gnó̱mo̱n pou í̱rthe mazí mou." He said fluently in his native tongue.

"And what does that mean?" I asked.

"I am grateful you came with me." He said, I could see the sincerity in his ancient eyes. I smiled.

"How do you say 'as am I'?" I asked.

"Ópo̱s eímai." Ariston said at once, not even having to think about it.

"Ópo̱s eímai, Ariston." I repeated and he smiled. "I look forward to someday being fluent in Greek."

"I could help you, if you like. I have the feeling you are a fast learner." He offered and I lit up again.

"I would LOVE that!" I exclaimed, beyond excited to have someone who is fluent in such a wonderful language as my tutor.

"We should be getting back." Ariston said, gazing into my eyes. "A storm is coming."

"I love storms." I told him.

"Are you up for more riding then?" He asked, my smile was all the yes he needed.

Ariston squeezed Vrontos with his legs and the horse galloped away with us on his back. We rode for the next hour up a mountain then walked through the woods. I could hear the rain start to fall gently on the leaves above our heads. After a few minutes the woods thinned to show miles of wooded and snow capped mountains. I smiled, I had been up here before with the girls I work with and with Margret. Ariston stopped Vrontos near the edge of the cliff.

"You see that there?" Ariston pointed to a shape in the distance on the top of a mountain, I could just barely make it out. "That is my house." Ariston said.

"You chose a great location." I said.

"I enjoy living on a mountain," Ariston told me. "My home in Greece is on a great mountain."

"Someday I am going to have a place just like that." I told him, my thoughts far away with the life I dreamed for myself. "High up, away from the noises of society and closer to the sky and the clouds. Somewhere peaceful and beautiful, where the only sound is that of the wind and of the trees. To fall asleep every night in the fresh air, looking up at the stars through my window is what I have always wanted." I sighed and smiled at the thought, Ariston just watched me with a kind of fascination. "What?" I asked him.

"I would live no other way." Ariston said. For a moment, looking into his eyes, I was unsure if he meant living on a mountain or living with me. I felt hope at the thought, my heart fluttering.

Thunder cracked in the sky and a few moments later, lightning flashed. I smiled and Ariston and I looked up at the sky together. I looked at Ariston to find him smiling at the lightning as if he was looking at someone, not something. It started raining gently, it felt good on my skin.

"I love the rain." I said.

"As do I." Ariston said with a smile, turning his face up to the rain with his eyes closed and a peaceful expression upon his face.

Thunder came, then not long after, a bolt of lightning shot across the sky in its zigzagged pattern one again, making Ariston laugh. We sat there on Vrontos' back, watching the storm for the longest time as it moved closer and closer towards us on this incredible day. I was so comfortable with Ariston that without thinking, I rested my head against his back as I watched the bolts of lightning. I could not have been more happy or more at peace than I was sitting on that horse with my arms around this incredible man. It started raining even more and I laughed. Ariston looked at me with such a smile.

"Hold on tight." Ariston said once again.

I held onto him, smiling as we galloped off and back down the mountain. It started pouring on the way back, soaking us both through and through. We laughed the whole way back to the Stables. Vrontos' hooves clopped on the stone of the Stables floor as we walked inside. We were the only ones still there, everyone else had gone home. We stopped; I was reluctant to get off, I was far too comfortable being so close to Ariston. His warmth is far too inviting. Nonetheless, when Ariston held his arm out, I took it and swung my leg over the horse and slid off.

"I will get his cooler and his sheet." I told Ariston, walking to the blanket room.

I found Vrontos' navy cooler with sky blue trim, along with his royal blue sheet, and brought it out. You have to put a cooler on a wet horse or else they will get sick. It is usually a fleece or wool blanket that wicks away moisture. Ariston already had the halter on Vrontos and his open front boots off. I handed him the cooler and watched him put it on the horse as I placed the sheet down. Then I gasped as I remembered.

"Your saddle." I said, as I turned around and began running out of the Stables.

"Mera?" I heard Ariston call from behind me, but I did not stop.

_ His saddle must be ruined from the rain._ Knowing how much a saddle like his could cost, I ran down the path as quickly as I could and got to the arena in no time. His saddle was still there on the fence, but what surprised me was that it was not ruined. The rain beaded up and ran off the leather, leaving it unharmed. I picked the saddle up with one hand and took hold of the strap of my now drenched helmet, it would take awhile to dry out now. I turned around to see Ariston standing there soaking wet in the pouring rain, with rain running down his beautiful face. His wet shirt clung to the muscles on his abs, shoulders and arms, a sight I could not help but take in for a moment. _My god he is sexy,_ was all I could think as I met his eyes again in the down pour.

Ariston walked up to me and took the saddle from my arm with a look on his face. He held the saddle in one hand off to the side and stood closer to me. He lifted his hand and caressed away a few strands of wet hair that clung to my face, my skin burst aflame from his touch, my heart beating wildly. His eyes scanned over every detail of my face with such an uncontrollable need while he marveled at what he beheld.

He was so close, I could smell his mint and vanilla sent on his breath. I was shivering, but not from the cold, it was from having his body so close to mine, from anticipating what I knew was coming. I was lost in his eyes, fire coursed through my veins as I realized this was truly happening.

"Étsi, apístef̱ta ómorfi̱." He whispered in Greek as his thumb caressed my bottom lip ever so lightly. "Kóvei ti̱n anása." I did not know what the words meant, but the passion with which they were spoken brought everything within me to life once again; and kissing him was no longer a desire, it became a necessity.

Gazing within those eyes there was no question that I was his for the taking, and needless to say, I wanted him. Ariston's breaths were quick, as rapid as my own. He leaned down slowly, my eyes closed and my head tilted up waiting for his lips, for the kiss that did not come. His hand disappeared from my cheek a moment later. I opened my eyes to find Ariston five feet from me. I wanted to say something to him, ask him to not pull away from me again, _beg_ him to kiss me, yet in that moment, looking into his eyes, I found myself unable to form words.

"Forgive me." Ariston said, shaking his head. "We should get back to Vrontos." He turned and walked away from me, towards the Stables.

"There is nothing to forgive." I whispered since it was the loudest sound I could make, but it was too late, he was already well down the path.

I stood there in the rain for a moment, trying to collect my thoughts, before heading back to the Stables. Ariston was nowhere to be seen when I entered, I went over to Vrontos and stroked his cheek, my soul lost in what almost happened, in what I so desperately needed from him, though it went far beyond anything I was able to put into words. I sighed as I gave Vrontos' neck a few strokes and kissed his cheek, then went back to his face; The horse seemed happy at my attention, his ears forward while my thoughts went around and around. I know Ariston feels something for me, more than _something_, I see it in his eyes, I _feel_ it every time in the way he looks at me and how he touches me. So I could make only one reasonable conclusion from his behavior. _He has been through a terrible tragedy, wounds like that take time to heal. Perhaps he is not ready for this yet._

"For you." I turned around and smiled_. _Ariston stood there drying his black curls with a towel as he held a towel out to me. He seemed to relax seeing me smile. _He is definitely worth the wait._

"Thank you." I said, taking the towel.

I dried myself off as best I could, along with trying to dry out my helmet, while I watched Ariston as he took care of Vrontos. I walked with him when he put the horse in his stall. After locking the door, he went with me to the tack room to return his tack and my helmet. We stood in there after I changed into my sneakers, and I looked upon him while being in wonder at how he makes me feel so much more than anyone else ever has. Ariston looked at me with an apologetic smile as he noticed my clothing before looking into my eyes once again.

"Your clothes are still soaking wet." He said.

"I will change when I get back to my dorm." I assured him with a smile.

"My house is closer," Ariston said. "Why don't you come with me and I can give you something dry to wear and make you something warm to eat. I will bring you back to your dorm later on this evening." He offered, to which I nodded.

"I would like that." I told him with a smile.

The chance to spend even more time with him and get to see that house on the mountain where he lives was truly irresistible. It was still pouring when we were about to go out to his beautiful car, the rain coming down in heavy sheets, creating deep puddles everywhere.

"Here," Ariston said, handing me a white and gray raincoat.

"Thank you." I said, wondering where it came from. I could have sworn it was not in his hands a second ago, of course I was far too lost in the beauty of his face to look at his hands.

I slid my arms through the sleeves and pulled it over my head, it seemed to be his size, which made my smile grow. Ariston held his hand out for mine, my smile grew as I took hold of his warm hand. We ran out to his car in the rain, laughing and splashing in the puddles as we went along. Ariston held my door for me as he always does before getting into the drivers side. His black curls were dripping water as he turned the heat and the radio on. Ariston and I sang on our way to his house.

After driving through the woods on a road I did not know, we took a right onto a stone driveway that gently wound up a mountain. Five minutes later we came out of the woods and upon a stunning mansion in the style of a French Chateau with Grecian marble columns and stunning details. My first reaction was that the house was _far _bigger up close. The house and the pillars were white marble veined with what looked like gold instead of black. Everything was partly covered with ivy and blooming jasmine flowers.

I looked on in amazement as Ariston drove around the circular drive to a four-car garage, the door of which was already open. Inside, the garage had room for ten cars. I saw the Black Range Rover he used when he brought Vrontos to the Stables, a Red Lamborghini, a Green Muscle Car and five other cars that looked to be custom jobs.

Ariston and I got out of his car, the rain still pounded outside as we walked up a few steps and Ariston held the door for me. I made sure to wipe my sneakers off before I walked into a huge, long hall that looked like it went from one end of the house to the other. The ceilings were fifteen feet tall and painted with a mural of Gods and Angels in stunning detail while the walls were a pure white. The floor was of white marble inlaid with designs in green marble.

Fine paintings lined the walls, I looked on in silent awe as I walked with Ariston down the hall. We passed a huge doorway that led to a huge kitchen with cherry wood cabinets and ornate gold handles with counters of that gold-veined marble.

Further down the hall, there was a point where the wall stopped, and through that huge opening was the sunken living room with cranberry colored couches and beautifully carved wood tables. On the right wall was a grand fireplace of pure white marble carved to perfection, with a stunning mantel that took my breath away. What amazed me even further was that there was no back wall, it was open to a covered balcony that was supported by marble columns. I could hear the rain still pouring as I glanced outside while we walked.

As we continued down the hall, I saw that except for the single set of double doors on the far end of the hall, all the doors were on the left side of the long hallway. On the right wall were grand windows that looked out on the idyllic front garden. Ariston led me through the double doors at the end of the hallway and into a grand bedroom that was only a little bit smaller than the living room we passed a few minutes before. It had pale blue walls and black wooden floors with a beautiful dark blue rug. The first thing I saw when I entered was a king sized bed made of carved white marble with a royal blue comforter and white sheets. To my right, on a diagonal wall was a carved wood door.

Looking to the left I saw an area for reading; there was a white marble fireplace that was reminiscent of the one in Ariston's living room. In front of it was a comfortable looking puffy chair and footrest, with an end table at its side with a few books stacked upon it. My first thought was that the chair looked lonely. Looking beyond the sitting area, I discovered that just like the living room, there was no back wall, only an opening that led out onto the balcony, which was supported by the same columns. White silk curtains blew in the winds from the storm. The room was beautifully designed and impeccably clean, and I was beginning to realize to whom it belonged.

"Is this your room?" I asked Ariston, feeling warmer at the thought.

"It is." Ariston answered. "I will be right back."

He disappeared through a door to the left of the bed and I was left alone in his room. After a few moments I went up to the covered balcony and went out. The view was even more spectacular than the one from the cliff we had looked upon together not long ago. With the peaks rising in the distance and the wooded valleys and lakes, it was truly something to behold. It was beautiful to watch the rain fall. The storm did not seem to be ending, in the distance I could hear thunder, it seemed to be growing closer.

"On a clear day you can see for miles." Ariston said from behind me. I turned around to see him standing there with a smile, holding green folded clothing that looked like silk.

"It is beautiful, this whole house is spectacular." I said to him with wonder in my voice.

"Thank you." Ariston replied then handed me the clothing, it was softer than silk and cool to the touch. "Unfortunately I do not have any women's clothing. I hope my pajama's will do until your clothing is dry."

"They will, thank you." I said to him.

"This way." Ariston said with a nod of his head.

He led me through the door on the diagonal wall and I gasped at his bathroom. It was a round room with pale gold walls and a pool in the center that had a waterfall splashing into it from fifteen feet above. Steam rose off the hot water; it was incredibly inviting, and looking down I could see the mosaic pattern of red and a brilliant gold that covered the bottom. Off to the side was a single marble sink on the rounded wall with a large silver framed mirror posted above it. On the opposite wall was a shelve with white and gold towels. I looked up and noticed that the roof was a glass dome, the rain pounding down upon it. It was unlike anything I had ever seen.

"Wow." I breathed.

"You are welcome to bathe if you like. The towels are over there, and the soap is there." Ariston said as he pointed them out. "I am going to the kitchen to make us some dinner. You can meet me there when you are finished." I nodded and Ariston looked into my eyes for a moment. "Take your time." He said, glancing back. "And bring me your clothing when you are done so I can dry them."

"I will, thank you." I told him. He nodded before turning and walking towards the door, which he closed behind him when he left the incredible bathroom.

I looked around, still in wonder at this place, it was magical, like something out of a dream. Not that I would know, I never remember my dreams. I placed his clothing on the cushioned marble bench that sat beside the door and peeled my wet clothing off my body. The heat from the bathing pool was enough to prevent goosebumps. I decided I would bathe to take the chill off, the pool was way too inviting to pass up. I dunked my big toe into the water to find it perfectly hot. I walked down the steps and when I reached the bottom of the steps, it was waist deep. The further I walked the deeper the water got, to the point where I had to swim. It was wonderfully relaxing, easing my tired body as I sang from joy. I ended up floating for a while and looking up at the dome, watching the rain patter onto it. I could have stayed within this warmth for hours. After a time, I swam over to where the soap was, it was in a blue glass bottle with words written in silver that I could not make out. I popped the top, wondering if this is where Ariston's wonderful scent comes from. But to my surprise, the soap did not seem to have a scent to it.

I thoroughly washed away today's muck, then swam for a bit more before finding the will to get out and dry off with a gold towel. His towels were incredibly soft and dried faster than I thought possible. I put on Ariston's PJ's, they were amazingly lightweight and I could not truly mind how they hung from my body in a way that accentuated it. Everything was too big for my smaller frame, but the pants had a drawstring, so I made them fit. I fastened the fabric covered buttons of the long sleeved shirt, leaving only two undone. There was something comforting in wearing Ariston's oversized clothing; almost like when I would wrap up in my father's bathrobe when I was a little girl, but at the same time, this was different in a way that brought a blush to my cheeks and a smile to my pink lips.

I picked up my wet clothing with the towel, wrapping them into a ball before leaving the grand bathroom. I found the kitchen easily enough; Ariston was placing two bowls of steaming soup on a small round table in the back of the kitchen when I entered. He had also changed, he now wore gray pajama pants and a blue three-quarter-sleeve shirt with buttons undone to his chest, even in such simple attire he looked amazing. He smiled to me and looked me over.

"You look lovely, you should wear my clothing more often." He said, then closed his eyes and laughed. "I did not mean that the way it sounded." I laughed.

"It is alright." I told him. He walked over to me and took my ball of wet clothing and towel, then Ariston guided me back to the table and held my chair out for me.

"I will be right back." Ariston told me after I sat down. "Help yourself to the soup."

Ariston left the room and I took a sip of the soup, it was lobster bisque, creamy and delicious with big pieces of lobster in it. The warmth was incredibly comforting, even after the long, hot bath I had just taken. I sighed and took another spoon full, I had eaten half the bowl by the time Ariston returned.

"How is it?" Ariston asked.

"Perfectly delicious." I told him with a smile. He smiled and took the seat across from me. "I love your towels by the way; I have never used any that dry that fast. What are they made out of?" I asked him out of curiosity.

"Cloud wool." He answered as he laid his napkin on his lap, not taking his eyes off me, almost as if he were gauging my reaction.

"The clouds themselves?" I asked with a smile and a raised eyebrow, knowing from Mythology that Greek Gods were said to wear clothing woven from such a material. Ariston gave a nod, still watching me while I tried to see if he was testing me.

"Only my family and others like them have the ability to weave it." He stated. Except for a slight smile on his face, he was completely serious. "Everything in my home and quite a bit of my clothing is either made out of cloud silk or cloud wool." The smile slid from my face, confusion taking its place. _Is he serious?_ I looked at him for a moment then started laughing.

"You had me going for a minute there." I told him. Ariston just smiled and looked at me. "What about your soap then? Why does it not have any scent to it?" I asked.

"Instead of making you smell differently, my soap enhances your true scent." Ariston explained.

"I wonder what I smell like." I said to him.

He held out his hand over the table and I placed my hand in his. He brought my palm to his face and inhaled with his eyes closed, his smile growing. He opened his eyes and looked into mine.

"You smell like raspberries and rainstorms." He told me, his voice had a hypnotic tone to it.

I could feel the blush on my cheeks deepen at the look in his eyes and the electricity running between us. We were lost in silence and in each others eyes for a moment until a _ping_ sounded from the oven.

"That would be the pizza." Ariston said, letting go of my hand. He wiped his mouth with his napkin and rose from his seat. "Are you still hungry?" Ariston asked.

"Very." I told him.

I have been eating more and more as of late, if I were having sex I would be worried. I knew that it was only because I have been working more. Ariston took the pizza out of the top of his stainless steel double oven. The scent filled the room, making my stomach growl, it was heavenly. He sliced the pizza up then brought it over to the table on a pan.

"Margarita pizza with olives?" I asked with a smile.

"It is one of my favorites." Ariston said. "I would be happy to make something else if you do not like it."

"No, it looks delicious." I told him, taking a piece, it was hot in my hands. I was so hungry that I bit into it immediately, not even thinking that it could burn my mouth. To my surprise, it did not burn. But the taste... a moan left my lips at the first bite.

"That good?" Ariston asked with a laugh. I blushed and nodded.

"I have to say that in all honesty, this is the best pizza I have ever eaten." I said after I had swallowed, then I took another bite. We were silent as we ate, we each finished off half of the large pizza.

"Did you cook this from scratch?" I asked, a pizza this good could not come from a freezer.

"Yes I did." Ariston said.

"Are you just saying that to impress me?" I asked, Ariston laughed.

"No, I am not." He said with his crooked grin. "My sister taught me how to cook, she is very creative."

"You should let me cook for you sometime." I said.

"I would like that." Ariston told me. I smiled.

"Lucky for you my father taught me how to cook," I told Ariston. "My mother has always said that the reason she does not cook is for my father and I's health." Ariston laughed.

"That bad?" He asked.

"You do not want to know." I said, he laughed again and I joined in. I loved hearing him laugh, it was a kind of high to me.

"I understand what you mean. My brother makes wine," Ariston began. "He can make some of the most delicious vintages that have ever graced the Heavens and Earth, but every now and then he gets an idea and it does not go as well as planned. Such as his concoction of tangerine, salt, olive oil, and honey."

"That sounds... interesting." I said, trying to be kind. It was not as if I knew the first thing about wine.

"Let me warn you, it does not taste near as good as it sounds." Ariston said and we laughed together. "Would you like some dessert?"

"Do not tell me you baked a cake." I said and he laughed.

"No, I was thinking more along the lines of Ben and Jerry's." He said. "I have a few pints in the freezer."

"That would be great." I said.

Ariston made us cones of Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream and we ate it at the counter. Somehow, he had my favorite flavor, Mint Chocolate Cookie. He said that it is his favorite as well.

The sun was just beginning to set behind the clouds, I knew I should be getting back soon but no part of me wanted to leave him. I could not stand the thought of not being with him, it was torture.

"Ariston?" I said.

"Yes?" He answered, looking into my eyes.

"Could I stay here with you for a while?" I asked him. "I need time away from school, from everything." _And with you._

"Of course." He said, his smile growing. "I could use the company and truth be told, I am not ready for you to leave just yet." I smiled and blushed at his confession. "Would you like to watch a movie?"

"I would love too." I replied. We walked into the beautiful sunken living room. The rain still continued and the thunderstorm had begun to come closer, I smiled at the sound.

We sat down on the couch side by side and Ariston picked up the remote and turned on his 55" flat screen. We spent the next half hour joking around while trying to pick a movie. We decided on a comedy, Mel Brooks' Spaceballs, a true classic. Ten minutes into the movie, thunder crashed overhead so loudly it hurt my ears and the power went out, leaving Ariston and I in the pitch black. Ariston laughed and shook his head, I could just barely see his outline in the dark. The lightning flashed and for a moment in time I saw his face in perfect clarity.

"Well, so much for the movie." Ariston said, as thunder followed.

"We could do what my family always does when the power goes out." I told him. "Read to each other with flashlights."

"I think I have some candles somewhere around here." He said. "I will be right back." He rose from the couch and disappeared into the dark of the night.

I sat there for a few minutes before a flame flickered to life in the corner of my eye. The first thing I saw in the light of the candle was Ariston's beautiful face. He lit countless more candles and set them up around the room, on the mantel of the fireplace and on the tables. I had to admit that it was romantic. He brought over a leather bound book and handed it to me while taking his seat next to me.

"This is a book I picked up in Greece," Ariston told me. "It is a collection of poetry and sayings from ancient to modern day." I smiled and opened it. It looked to be hand written. I read the first quote I saw by Mistinguett.

"A kiss can be a comma, a question mark or an exclamation point. That is basic spelling that every woman should know." I quoted.

"Agreed." Ariston said, we laughed and I handed him the book.

"Your turn. Read me something." I told him. He smiled and flipped through the pages for a few minutes before beginning to read.

"This is one of my favorites." Ariston said and began reading:

"When to the sessions of sweet silent thought,

I summon up remembrance of things past,

I sigh the lack of many a thing I sought,

And with old woes new wail my dear time's waste:

Then can I drown an eye, unused to flow,

For precious friends hid in death's dateless night,

And weep afresh love's long since cancell'd woe,

And moan the expense of many a vanish'd sight:

Then can I grieve at grievances foregone,

And heavily from woe to woe tell o'er,

The sad account of fore-bemoaned moan,

Which I new pay as if not paid before.

But if the while I think on thee, dear friend,

All losses are restored and sorrows end."

I was in amazement, there was something about the way he read the sonnet that made my heart flutter. Or perhaps it was the way he looked by candlelight.

"That is beautiful." I told him. He smiled and handed me the book.

"Sonnet #30 by Shakespeare. Your turn." He said, my smile grew as I looked through them and then read a quote by an unknown poet.

"If I could be any part of you, I'd be your tears. To be conceived in your heart, born in your eyes, live on your cheeks, and die on your lips." I said, then sighed and shook my head with a smile, moved by the beauty of the words I had just read. I smiled to Ariston as I met his eyes and handed him the book.

"Absence diminishes mediocre passions and increases great ones, as the wind extinguishes candles and fans fires." Ariston quoted, then stated that the poet was named Francois de La Rochefoucauld. Ariston looked up to me with a smile and handed the book back to me. I loved the way he watched me, it made me blush and my smile grow.

"And yet I wish but for the thing I have: my love is as boundless as the sea, my love is deep, the more I give to thee, the more I have, for both are infinite." I quoted.

"Romeo and Juliet." Ariston said before I could. I smiled and handed the book back to him.

"A man reserves his true and deepest love not for the species of woman in whose company he finds himself electrified and enkindled, but for that one in whose company he may feel tenderly drowsy." Ariston said then added in that the poet was named George Jean Nathan. Ariston looked into my eyes.

"Do you feel tenderly drowsy in my presence?" I asked jokingly, Ariston chuckled.

"Constantly." Ariston answered before handing me back the book, meeting my eyes. It was a few moments before I could find the will to look at the book and find a quote.

"I remember this one." I said to him. "I came across it recently and fell in love with it." I read my passage by the light of the flickering candles. "A woman's happiness is not in the glory and lordship of a man. Neither is it in his generosity or clemency; it is in a love that binds her spirit to his, pouring out her love into his heart and making them a single member in the body of life and one word on the lips of god." I quoted.

"Kahlil Gibran." Ariston said with a smile.

"After you quoted him, I looked up some of his work." I told him.

I could not get over how beautiful he looks by candlelight and how perfect the moment was with the thunderstorm overhead and Ariston at my side in his beautiful house. After a few moments I handed the book back to Ariston. He looked through it then stopped at a page with such a smile.

"I purified my lips with the sacred fire to speak of love, but when I opened my lips I found myself speechless. Before I knew love I was wont to chant the songs of love, but when I learned to know, the words in my mouth became naught save breath and the tune within my breast fell into a deep silence." Ariston quoted Gibran in such a way it left me speechless, lost in the moment when he looked into my eyes.

Ariston raised his hand and caressed my cheek, his touch so tender, I closed my eyes at the feeling. I felt no need to go any further and try to kiss him. The moment was perfection and beauty at their best. When I opened my eyes I found him watching me in silent fascination. I raised my hand slowly and placed it on his cheek, something I have been longing to do for a while now.

Ariston closed his eyes at the feeling and gently leaned his face into my hand, taking what was left of my breath away. I sat there in a state of wonder as I examined every detail of his perfect face, the curve of his brow, the shape of his full lips, his flawless cinnamon skin. His face was like a symphony by Mozart, perfectly composed. I cherished how his warm cheek felt against my palm. Moments later Ariston opened his eyes and looked into mine.

We were not making love, we did not even kiss, but the inexplicable intimacy we shared left us wordlessly and hopelessly locked into each others gaze.

We stayed like that until at some point, whether it be hours or moments later I will never know, the lights came back on. We removed our hands from each others cheeks and looked around. The TV came back on and Spaceballs resumed playing. Ariston and I looked to each other once more, it was a moment before he could speak, which somehow made me even more breathless. He smiled to me that incredible crooked grin.

"Shall we?" He asked, nodding towards the movie.

I nodded and we turned our attention towards the flat screen. At some point I laid my head on Ariston's shoulder and he wrapped his warm, muscular arm around me. I had decided that even though I would not rush him, I would not hold myself back from enjoying the comfort he had to offer. I cuddled into his side, seeing no reason not to.

By the point in the movie where they are "combing the desert" Ariston was lying down on the couch with me on his chest and his arms around me, holding me close as my head rested in the crook of his neck, breathing in his heady scent with each breath as my right hand rested on his chest. I have never been happier or more comfortable in my life than I was laughing in his warm embrace as we watched the movie. It felt almost too good to be in his arms, I never wanted to leave his embrace. The way he caressed my hair and held me made me realize that he felt the same for me.

We laughed until we cried, Ariston seemed to get a bigger kick out of watching me laugh than watching the movie. We watched the credits until Ariston went back to the menu.

"I love being here." I told him as I laid in his arms.

"It is a great house." Ariston said. I laughed once and shook my head.

"No, not _here_," I said, cuddling into his arms, letting out a sigh filled with everything I was feeling. "Here." He held me closer, understanding my meaning.

"I love having you here Mera, more than I can say, and more than I should." Ariston said softly. I raised myself up on my elbow and looked down into his eyes, his head resting on a pillow as he looked up at me.

"Do not say more than you should." I told him. "Not tonight." Ariston nodded a moment later. He smiled to me and kissed my forehead tenderly, making me melt.

"What next?" Ariston asked softly.

Looking down into his eyes, I wanted with all my being to say a kiss was next, even though I knew he was talking about a movie. _I will not rush him, I will wait for as long as it takes._

"Anything you like." I said and laid my head back in the crook of his neck. _This is more than enough, for now._


	12. Chapter Ten: Thursday

**Chapter 10**

**Thursday**

**"He's more myself than I am. Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same."**

**Emily Bronti**

As I woke, I knew from the feelings within me that I was in Ariston's arms. The feeling is as unmistakable as his body is to me, no matter how few the times he has held me were, I knew this man as well as I knew myself; the funny thing about that, was that each time I am with him, he reveals a new part of me while I discover something beautifully novel about him. I smiled and felt him caress my back through the silk of the pajamas I wore, his pajamas. I opened my eyes to look into his. We did not speak, just looked into each others eyes. The rain had stopped and the morning sun was shining; I could hear birds singing outside as I sighed.

"Good morning." I said softly, gazing into his incredible eyes.

"Good morning." Ariston greeted with that smile of his; he breathed a sigh as he watched me while the only thought going through my half lost mind was, _H__ow is this moment real?_ "I should warn you; I could get used to waking like this." Ariston told me with a wonderful smile and an airy laugh left my lips.

"So could I." I admitted.

I laid my head on his chest again; my elation only seemed to expand at the thought of waking up every morning like this, I could not imagine living life any other way. Even though he was not ready to be with me, just being with him like this was enough... he felt like he was created of a potent magnetic attraction that could draw my soul to his, no matter the distance. Being parted from him would be like... there were simply not words and in this moment, separation was simply unimaginable; too soon a thought came to me, and all I wanted to do was groan and bury my face back in the curve of his neck.

"How long before school starts?" I asked, wondering how much time I had left with him before I would have to go back to my dorm and prepare for school.

"A half hour." Ariston told me, I sighed, not happy with that answer.

"I suppose I should be going then." I said and looked up into his eyes, no part of me wanted to go but I could see no way around it.

"Spend the day with me." Ariston said to my surprise, and I could not speak for a moment.

"What about school?" I asked.

"Kallisto is going to teach in my stead today and I am going into town. Come with me." Ariston almost begged with a smile.

"Ariston, as much as I would love to... I have never missed a day of school in my life." I told him, already feeling myself giving in.

"Then you are long over due to take a sick day." Ariston said with that smile. His eyes were far too persuasive for my own good. "And it is not as if you do not already know what they will be teaching." Ariston added, and looking into his eyes, I knew I could not say no; I wanted to be with him too much for that.

"I do believe you are a bad influence on me." I stated and he laughed.

"Is that a yes?" He asked hopefully, playfully.

"Yes." I said and his smile grew, making mine grow in response.

"You are welcome to use my bathroom again if you wish." Ariston told me.

"I think I will take you up on that, I do love your pool. Thank you." I said, his smile grew. "What about you?"

"Mera, I have more than one bathroom in my house. You use mine and I will use one of the others. I insist." He told me.

"Alright, thank you." I said.

"You are very welcome." He replied.

A few minutes later we finally found the will to get up. Ariston gave me my clothing, cleaned and dried from yesterday and once again left me in his bathroom. I bathed in the waterfall and could not help taking another swim in the pool before getting out and drying off with those amazing towels of his. I felt like I was walking on air.

I put on my blue crewneck long sleeved shirt and riding breeches and used the hairbrush that was on a self. I sent a text message to Margret, telling her that I was okay and that I would be gone for the day. I came out of the bathroom and went through his bedroom and to the hallway. I heard music playing, accompanied by the familiar sound of Ariston's beautiful, rich singing, as I walked towards the kitchen. A laugh left my lips at this incredible feeling flowing through every cell within my body. I had to wonder if Ariston was feeling as wonderful as I was on this beautiful and breathtaking morning. How is it possible to feel this wonderful from simply spending one night in his arms? When sleep was all that happened and yet I felt such a connection to him; it has only strengthened since I first caught sight of him.

Ariston was making breakfast when I entered the kitchen. I could smell the blueberry pancakes. He was dressed in dark blue dress pants with a pure white button down shirt tucked in; a few of the buttons undone, as was his fashion, and his sleeves rolled up past his elbows. He looked amazing and the colors complimented him perfectly. He looked to me and his smile grew, while I could only watch in wonder as I melted inside.

"Breakfast is almost ready." He stated.

"It smells wonderful." I said, taking a seat on a barstool at the island to watch him work.

"Is there anything in particular you would like to do in town today?" Ariston asked.

"Not that I can think of." I told him. _Except be with you._

Ariston slid onto each plate four stuffed blueberry pancakes, then sprinkled fresh raspberries around it and added in slices of banana and poured two glasses of orange juice for us. He put the plates and glasses on a tray and picked it up.

"Come with me." Ariston said with a smile.

I followed him into the living room then up onto the balcony where a table was waiting for us. I gasped at the view, _Ariston was right, you can see for miles around on a clear day. _Two rainbows hung in the sky, one right next to the other. I smiled before turning back to Ariston, he was holding a chair out for me. I sat down, still smiling, and he sat across from me and put his napkin on his lap before beginning to eat, never once taking his eyes off of me.

I placed my napkin on my lap and began eating the pancakes, they were stuffed with blueberries, just the way I love them. The flavor was incredible!

"How did you know?" I asked him.

"Know what?" He asked as he took a bite.

"That this is my favorite breakfast?" I asked, he shrugged with a smile and I shook my head and took a bite. Ariston continued to watch me, as if he were afraid that at any moment I would disappear.

After breakfast, Ariston took care of the dishes and unrolled his sleeves. He put on mother of pearl cuff links then slid on a dark blue blazer that was the same color as his pants. He looked even more incredible; I so do love his sense of fashion.

"I feel so frumpy." I said with a laugh. Ariston looked me over with a smile.

"I will have to see what I can do about that then." Ariston said with a twinkle in his eyes and a smile on his lips that told me that he had a plan. I was about to ask what he was thinking when he spoke. "Come, Blueridge awaits."

I followed Ariston out to his midnight blue car, and he held the door for me before getting in the drivers seat. The ride was wonderful as always, we spent it talking, and laughing at things that were not even funny. Not long after, we arrived on Main Street in Blueridge, the two story elegant brick shops lined each side of the road beyond the cobblestone sidewalks. Ariston parallel parked next to a maple tree, then quickly came around to open my door.

After closing the door behind me, Ariston held his arm out and I smiled as I wrapped my arm through his; we began walking down the flower lined sidewalk together. The fact that I was really there with him still did not cease to amaze me.

We came upon a store, **Zaliea's Boutique **was its name, Margret shops there from time to time. The dress in the window caught my eye. It was a knee length dress with an A-Line skirt, a low square neckline and spaghetti straps. The dress was made of white eyelet lace with dark blue embroidery and a turquoise tie around the waist. It was beautiful.

Ariston led me into the store, it was filled with racks of beautiful high fashion clothing in light beautiful colors. I wondered what Ariston would want in a woman's clothing store, but suddenly I had a sneaking suspicion. I looked at Ariston and he smiled to me with that twinkle in his eyes. I was about to speak when a woman interrupted me.

"May I help you?" The woman was middle-aged and a few inches shorter than me, with close cropped dirty blond hair and pale blue eyes with elfish features. Her name tag said Anna.

"Yes, you can," Ariston replied, pointing to the dress that caught my eye in the window. "I would like that dress in a size four for my beautiful companion." I looked at Ariston in surprise, not only out of the fact that he knew what size I am in high fashion.

"Of course." The woman said and walked away.

"Ariston, what are you doing?" I asked with a smile as he turned towards me.

"Buying you a new outfit," Ariston stated as if it were nothing. "Surely you do not want to wear the same clothing from yesterday."

"Here you are, miss." Anna said with a look in her eyes as she held the dress in her arms.

_ What she must think,_ I thought. Apparently Ariston was thinking the same thing because he laughed when I did and a blush painted my cheeks. I followed Anna back to the changing room and tried the dress on, it was a perfect fit.

"Do I get to see the dress?" Ariston asked. I laughed and opened the door to see him standing there waiting for me. He looked me over with a smile. "Perfect." He said, shaking his head in amazement.

I walked over to the huge framed mirror and admired the dress and the way it looked on me, hugging my curves to my hips before flailing out to about my knees in an elegant way. I had to admit that I did absolutely love it. The price tag was pinned to the side of the dress, I looked at it and my eyes went wide.

"Ariston, this dress is $1,650." I told him.

"That is nothing compared to the way it looks on you." He said, bringing a blush to my cheeks.

"This is generous, but I cannot let you buy this for me." I told him.

"That is too bad, I will not take no for an answer, not in this." Ariston stated, crossing his arms, a stubborn expression on his face.

"Ariston," I began, yet he cut me off before I had a chance to voice my opposition.

"Mera," Ariston said, walking up to me and taking my hands in his, looking into my eyes. "The money is nothing, I have vast amounts of it and nothing to spend it on. Please, let me buy you this dress, I see how much you love it." The way he said it and the look in his eyes made it impossible to say no. "Please?" I sighed.

"Alright." I conceded and his smile grew.

"Good; now for shoes." He said, I shook my head and laughed.

I went over and found a beautiful pair of strappy turquoise heels that fit perfectly, and Ariston insisted that I get a dark blue clutch to put my phone in. Ariston left me for a moment as I put my new shoes on, I looked to see him at the jewelry counter. He came back with his hands behind his back.

"I have a gift for you." Ariston said.

He held out a beautiful antique bracelet. The gold was cast in the design of a climbing vine with purple and white glittering stones in the shape of jasmine flowers and butterfly's fastened into the metal. Ariston held his hand out and I placed mine in his. He clasped the bracelet onto my left wrist with the greatest care then brought my hand to his lips and kissed it.

"It is beautiful, thank you." I said to him. Ariston nodded with a beautiful smile. He paid for my things with his Black Visa Credit Card and we brought my old clothes, which were now in a bag, back to his car. I felt better in my new dress walking next to this incredible man; even though he made me feel comfortable in every way while exciting at the same time.

"How about lunch?" Ariston asked as we walked down the sidewalk with my arm through his.

"I would love some." I said with a smile.

* * *

Ariston held my hand on the car ride back to my dorm. I smiled as I sniffed the full, dark red rose in my hand, its fragrance was as sweet and as rich as a rose could be. As Ariston and I were walking through town after lunch we came upon a flower shop, it was completely open to the outside. We walked through it and I sniffed the flowers, treasuring their fragrance and beauty. I turned to look at Ariston to find him holding a single red rose out to me. When I took it, our hands met and the storm flowed through me.

I sighed and looked at Ariston in the drivers seat, he looked into my eyes for a moment before looking back to the road. I smiled and bit my lip, feeling that familiar indescribable warmth spread through me.

Once again, the car ride was over too soon as Ariston pulled up front by the gardens in front of my dorm. Even though I have spent last night and today with him, it only felt like minutes and I craved more time with him.

"What are you doing this weekend?" Ariston asked. It saddened me to see a plan in his eyes.

"I am going to New York with Margret." I told him. He nodded and I wanted to apologize for having plans right away, while wishing I could stay with him.

"When do you leave?" Ariston asked.

"Right after school tomorrow." I told him. "We are coming back Sunday afternoon unless Margret makes me shop all day Sunday as well and we return late that night or early Monday morning."

Suddenly the thought of being away from him for the weekend felt unbearable. _How could I not have thought of that?_ I was almost in a panic at the thought of being parted from him for so long.

"I will miss you." Ariston said. I smiled at his words, my heart fluttering.

"I will miss you too." I told him and he brought my hand to his lips.

He kissed my hand tenderly. _Will you just kiss me already? _I thought as I looked into his eyes, my breaths coming faster. A moment later, I brought his hand to my lips and placed a kiss on the back of his warm hand then held it to me with both hands. His eyes lit at my doing this, a fierce mixture of longing in his eyes as he looked deep into mine, into my very soul.

_ I have more care to stay than will to go. _Romeo's words rang true for me in this moment, in every moment I am with Ariston these words are true. I did not want to let go of his hand, I did not want to leave his side, it felt wrong to do so.

"May I walk you in?" Ariston asked. I nodded, anything that would give me another moment with him I longed for.

Ariston got out, came around and opened my door. The air was surprisingly cool when I got out, I wrapped my arms around myself. Ariston saw my doing this and took off his jacket and put it over my shoulders. I thanked him and we walked through the gardens and into my dorm.

I did not fail to notice how every student stopped to stare at Ariston and I as we passed, I looked at Ariston, and he just smiled, a smile I returned. When we got to my apartment, I unlocked the door and Ariston came in behind me; I could only guess Margret was away since she was not curled up on her favorite spot on our couch. I closed the door and placed my rose and purse down on the table, then placed his jacket on the arm of the couch. I turned around and looked at Ariston where he stood a few feet from me, looking into my eyes while I was gazing into his.

"Thank you for last night and today," I said to him. "It was just what I needed."

"I am happy to hear that." He said with that crooked grin of his. "We should do this again."

"I agree." I replied right away and his smile grew. "When I get back from New York." Ariston nodded to me his agreement, and we shared a smile for a moment then he glanced away with a sigh. I could see something was difficult for him. "What is it?" I asked him. It was a moment before he spoke.

"It is... difficult for me to allow myself to want things." Ariston said, looking back into my eyes. "To allow myself to hope. Hope always seems to lead to disappointment."

"Do not give up on hope," I said with a smile. "It will not always lead you astray." His eyes were filled with unsaid words.

"There is so much you do not know about me." Ariston said softly, his voice filled with meaning. "Who I am, where I come from."

"I want to know you Ariston, so much so. But you are not completely right on that, I do know who you are." I told him, he looked puzzled. "You are kind, and warm and genuine and loving. You always put others first; you love your family, your daughter. You are the most extraordinary man I have ever met. I also know that you hurt far more than you would ever let anyone know." Ariston looked away and I closed my eyes for a moment before looking at him again and speaking. "I know that it is not easy for you to open up to people. Ariston, I am willing to wait for you to trust me enough to let me in. Just do not pull away from me anymore, my heart cannot bare it." He looked into my eyes.

"Mera, you must understand that it is not that I do not trust you." Ariston took a deep breath. "Anger, hatred, sorrow, fear... you name the dark emotion, I have lived it to an extent few can imagine after losing my wife and sons. Long ago I cut myself off from feeling any emotions, it was the only way for me to survive, but in doing so I also cut myself off from joy, and love." He took a deep breath and looked into my eyes with a slight smile. "Being with you brings everything I have bottled up to the surface, and it is difficult for me to open up to all of that." I took a step closer to him and raised my hand, placing it on his warm cheek, as I did so I could see the guards coming down in his eyes as he looked into mine.

"Ariston, I care for you,_ immensely_. Whatever you have been through, whatever is going on in your life, I am here for you if you will let me be." I looked deep into his eyes. "I could not change my feelings for you if I wanted to."

"Do you want to?" He asked. I shook my head with a smile and stepped closer to him.

"Not for the world. You mean far too much to me." I told him, meaning it with all my heart, with all my soul. He smiled, I leaned in to whisper in his ear. "You are not alone anymore." I kissed his cheek tenderly and lingered with my cheek against his, my eyes closed at the feeling.

Ariston let out a sigh and wrapped his arms around my waist and held me close. I placed my other arm around him as my hand slid into his warm curls. He leaned his warm cheek against mine.

I do not know how long I stayed in his embrace, there was no place on heaven or earth I wanted to be more than in his arms. At some point he kissed my cheek and I melted into him more, to the point where I was not completely certain where I ended and he began.

"I know you care for me Ariston, I feel it." I said softly to him while holding him close. "If this is all you can give right now then I will take it. As long as it means being with you it is enough." I told him.

"Mera," Ariston whispered, his hot breath caressing my ear. "I..." He let out a deep breath. "We have much to discuss upon your return." Ariston sighed and stroked my hair. "I will miss you more than you know this weekend."

"And I you, Ariston." I told him, a part of me wondering what he almost said. "I do not want to leave you."

"It is alright." He said softly. "I want you to enjoy yourself and your time with your friend. I will be here waiting for you when you return." I smiled and nodded.

We held each other for what might have been minutes or hours, I was far too lost in his embrace to count the moments. Time had no meaning, all that mattered was that I was there in his arms. At some point he pulled back and looked into my eyes. He raised his hand and caressed my cheek with such hopeless affection in his gaze. He sighed and his smile grew as he leaned in and placed a lingering kiss on my forehead before he removed his arms.

"I will see you tomorrow." He said, I nodded, not being able to find words.

He looked at me for a moment more before going through the door. I stood there for a moment in wonder before sinking onto the couch. Half of me wondered if this could really be, if he could really, truly care for me as deeply as he does. I felt beyond lucky at the possibility that he could want to be with me as much as I want to be with him, I felt blessed. I curled up on the couch and wrapped his coat around me again. It smelled of him, mint and vanilla.

"Ariston." I sighed his name and for some reason a light laugh escaped my lips. I shook my head.

My bag was on the table, I took out my sketch pad and graphite pencils and began drawing with quick precision different views of Ariston from last night and today, from him sitting across from me eating pizza, to my views of him while we read poetry to each other by candlelight, to when I was laying on his chest and watching Spaceballs. I drew so many more, such as Ariston handing me the rose today. I also sketched what I saw of his home. I was lost in a dizzying swirl of thoughts of Ariston when Margret walked in with Jack.

"There you are." Jack said with a smile. I looked up at the both of them with a smile.

"Jack, I will see you later." Margret said, turning to him.

"I will pick you up at eight." He said, she nodded and they kissed. Jack walked out of the room and Margret looked back to me.

"Who's jacket is that?" Margret asked. I smiled and she smiled. "You were gone all night." Margret said with a smile as she sat down next to me

"Nothing happened," I told her, her face held a dubious look, as if to say 'Yeah right.'

"You were at his house, alone with him, all night, and you expect me to believe that _nothing_ happened?" She asked with a raised eyebrow. "I have seen the way you two are around each other. Not to mention, you are glowing." I blushed.

"Really, nothing happened. We went on a trail ride during the rain and got soaked, so he brought me back to his house and gave me a pair of his pajamas and made dinner for us, he is an incredible cook," We sat there for the next hour and I told Margret about the whole night, from reading to each other to today's wonderful events.

"And that was_ all _that happened? Not so much as a kiss?" Margret asked, still not completely believing me.

"It came close... but no." I told her. "But oh, just being together as we were was... beyond words." I sighed and Margret smiled her knowing smile, then bit her lip.

"Did you know he has a grown daughter?" Margret asked as if she was letting some big secret out. "She taught his class for him today." I laughed.

"Yes I know about Kallisto," I told her. "He told me about her a while ago." Margret sighed in relief and smiled again.

* * *

**Author's Note: Happy Sunday to you all! I hope you enjoy this chapter of Beauty In Itself! With time, there will be more, and more! Have a wonderful week ahead! I hope some of you have time to leave me a review; I do miss getting them! Love you!**


	13. Chapter Eleven: Friday

**Chapter 11**

**Friday**

**"Tell me, for loves sake, what is that flame which burns in my heart and devours my strength and dissolves my will?"**

**Kahlil Gibran**

I walked into the history classroom. Seeing Ariston again brought the memories of the times we almost kissed, the words we have spoken, and the time we spent together to the surface. I could not help the blush that came over my cheeks, and the longing in my soul. When Ariston smiled to me and our eyes met, his were not guarded anymore, and that same hopeless affection lingered in his gaze. I smiled back and took my usual seat next to Margret. She smiled to me a knowing smile.

Ariston glanced to my left wrist and smiled, seeing the bracelet he bought for me yesterday still there. I smiled and ran a finger over it, our eyes meeting again, Ariston shook his head with a smile, taking a deep breath as he looked down to his papers on his desk. His face seemed to glow a bit more, a golden glow that made him all the more handsome, all the more beautiful. I bit my lip.

After class, I once again stayed behind to talk to Ariston after everyone else left. I noticed I was starting to get looks from some of the other students. Some of the girls even had the nerve to glare at me. _I can almost hear the rumors starting._ When they were gone, I got up and walked over to Ariston.

"Ariston," I said, as I stood before him.

I looked into his eyes, no other words came out, no words seemed to fit. He caressed my cheek, then wrapped his arms around me. I smiled and wound my arms around his torso, resting my head on his warm chest right above his heart as I held him close. I realized in that moment, that I could not hear his heartbeat. This would have bothered me more, but I was too lost in him to truly care.

It was just a hug, but at the same time it was so much more; it was an embrace, and no part of me wanted to leave the warmth of it. I do not know how long we stood like that. _Just for a moment longer_, I told myself.

The school bell rang and, to my great disappointment, we let go of each other. Ariston placed a sweet, lingering kiss on my forehead before looking into my eyes.

"Enjoy your shopping with Margret." He said, I smiled.

"I will." I said to him.

No part of me wanted to go to New York, to be apart from him. Finally I turned and walked away, I glanced back to look at him once more before walking out the door, he smiled to me, longing in his eyes which made me want to stay all the more, to spend the weekend with him. I smiled as I rushed to my next class; it was the first time I have ever been late to a class in my life, but in that moment, I could not have cared less. I got to be in Ariston's arms one last time before I left for the weekend, and that meant the world to me.

* * *

On the plane to New York, I looked out on the clouds from my window seat, like a vast ocean of still waves far below. It was like a whole other world up here. Strangely, I have always felt that I belong up here, among the clouds. A foolish notion perhaps, but true none the less.

I already missed Ariston more than I could say, but one thought continued to run through my mind. _Why did I not hear his heartbeat? There was silence, only silence._

I thought over the differences I have noticed in Ariston: His skin is warmer than it should be, and somehow glows ever so slightly; the slight golden hue his face takes on when we are lost in a moment together, or just gazing into each others eyes; I have never known anyone who can move as silently as Ariston can, as if he appears out of thin air; he healed me from when I fought the mugger; and then there is his unearthly, ethereal beauty and his voice; but most startling of all, I heard no heart beating in his chest when he held me.

This much I know, Ariston is something different, something more. _He comes from Greece, Thessaly he said. Mt. Olympus is in Thessaly…_ I stopped that thought right then and there. Ariston may seem like a God, but there is no way he could be… _could he?_

I almost laughed out loud when I imagined him in a toga, although I think he could pull it off. _Will he tell me the truth of him? Of who, and perhaps 'what', he is?_

As I sat there, I came to understand that there is something more that I am missing, something that should be obvious. I can feel it, but I cannot seem to put this truth into words. I just keep seeing Ariston's crooked smile, ancient sky blue eyes, and perfect face. I can _feel_ him, as if he is near me at this very moment. These thoughts have plagued me since the car ride to the airport.

When the plane landed, Margret and I made our way through the airport. We did not bring any baggage, Margret said we would not need any, since we would be buying new clothing and everything else when we arrived. A white limo was waiting for us out front, the driver holding the door open for us, which we thanked.

"We have just enough time to shop a couple of boutiques before dinner." Margret told me with a smile after we took our seats in the limo.

"Sounds great." I said, trying to sound interested.

I tried to enjoy shopping, but my mind was with Ariston, so I could not seem to focus on anything else. I felt Ariston with me, to the point where at times I would turn to see if he were standing next to me. In my mind, I could see Ariston standing there with that heartbreakingly beautiful crooked smile of his, but each time I would look, he was not there.

I looked around the stores as Margret shopped, I smiled seeing her so happy. To be honest, I could not say the shops we went to, I forgot the names right after Margret told me them. I do know that they were high fashion and insanely expensive. When we were done, we rode in the limo to Margret's parents penthouse in Trump Tower.

"Welcome, Miss Petrova." The doorman greeted.

"Thank you, Jackson." Margret replied with a smile.

The lobby was incredible, the color scheme was mainly gold with mirrored surfaces everywhere. We went to the elevator, and up to her parents stunning penthouse. The interior was sleek and modern, everything was in black and white. It was a very clean look. Bellboys were behind us, carrying the boxes and bags from Margret's shopping. Once everything was brought up, Margret and I prepared for dinner.

"Here, this one is perfect for you." Margret said, handing me a white cocktail dress that she had just bought.

It was made of the finest silk and embellished with blue stones on the bodice. Margret also gave me some incredible sapphire and diamond jewelry to wear, and white Jimmy Choo heels. I thanked Margret and got dressed. I kept on the bracelet Ariston gave me, just to remind me that the time we spent together was real. One of the women who work for Margret's parents did our hair, twisting up my golden hair and Margret's brown hair beautifully. We slid on our trench coats, mine a light blue and hers white, and went to the limo.

I stared out the tinted window of the limo for the twenty-minute car ride. I smiled when a song came on that Ariston and I sang to together in one of our car rides, remembering how our voices mingled so perfectly together. I blushed more, thinking of how that had felt.

We were helped out of the limo by the valet, then we walked into the beautiful restaurant. The hostess took our coats for us and led us to a table. I realized when I smelled the food, just how hungry I was.

It was a beautiful restaurant. The ceiling was painted to look like the night sky, some of the constellations correctly depicted. The walls were painted with murals in beautiful colors, the floors were white wood, and the tables had blue silk tablecloths with white plates, while the silk napkins were a pale blue. It is the kind of restaurant that gives you ten or more utensils to eat with; luckily, Margret taught me which fork, knife and spoon to use for different courses.

I picked up the menu, _at least it is in English._ I made myself concentrate on what I wanted to eat. After we ordered, I sat there staring at the table, running my fingers over my bracelet with a slight smile, lost in thoughts of Ariston and the memories of the past week we spent together.

"You've been quiet." Margret observed. I looked up to her and smiled apologetically.

"Forgive me; I fear I have made an awful traveling companion." I said.

"It's alright. Is something bothering you?" She asked.

"Not 'bothering' per se." I told her. "I do not think I could put into words what I am feeling."

"It is about Ariston?" She guessed. I smiled and blushed.

"Yes." I answered, deciding to tell her what I could, and leave out the part about how I am quite certain, that he is something more than human. "He consumes my every thought. When I am with him…" I shook my head with a smile. "I do not know quite how to explain how he makes me feel, even when I am not with him. I do not know what word would fit."

"Love," Margret said with a knowing smile. "You're falling for him."

I sat there for a moment, in a mixture of shock and wonder. Just then, in that very moment, I realized how wrong she is. I understood the truth that has been teasing at my thoughts these past few weeks. I am not _falling_ for Ariston Crete, I already have fallen for him. I know what I feel for him, but I have never thought to put it into words before now. I am truly, deeply, madly, and passionately in love with him.

I felt like such an idiot; Ariston and I sat next to each other, on his couch, reading love poetry to each other, and it did not dawn on me that I love him. Not to mention the words we spoke to each other yesterday. _How could I have been so blind?_ I wondered, then suddenly, I understood why I never thought to use the word 'love' for my feelings for Ariston. Love is too weak a word to describe what Ariston and I have, but for the time being, it will have to do.

Margret smiled, I could see in her eyes that I did not need to explain what I just discovered, she already knew. My smile grew, and I felt utterly breathless.

The dinner was divine, my fish was cooked to perfection. After a beautiful and delicious dessert of raspberry cheesecake with vanilla ice cream, we went back to the penthouse. I gave Margret back her jewels and we said goodnight.

"Be sure and get some sleep, we have a long day of shopping ahead of us tomorrow." Margret said with a huge smile. I chuckled then yawned.

"I will try. Sweet dreams." I told her.

I made my way to the bedroom that is mine while I am here; it is a huge, spacious room, with a wall of windows that captures the city lights. The whole while, I kept wondering if it were possible that Ariston could be in love with me. My heart, my whole being said that the answer was yes, but until I heard those words from his lips, I could not be completely certain. I went into the closet, some of the clothing Margret bought for us today was already put away in there. I changed into a beautiful silk, lavender nightgown. I took my hair down and brushed it out, then went and laid down in the very comfortable bed. I stared up at the ceiling, all I could think of was Ariston.

I do not know when it happened, I cannot think of a time when I did not love him. I have been captivated by him since the moment we met. I have known him for only three weeks, but I am already his. I belong to him in a way I have never belonged to anyone; he has my heart, my very soul is his.

I may not know _what_ Ariston is, but I know _who_ he is. He is the most incredible man I have ever met, with a smile that lights up my days and a golden soul that shines through brighter than the sun. He is the man I love, the man I want to spend the rest of my life with. _I do not care what he is, as long as I can call him my own._ I have never wanted anything in my life as much as I want to be with him.

"Ariston," His name left my lips in a whisper wrapped in a caress. "I love you." I said, wishing he could hear my admission. Even if he could not hear the words, I had to say them. Those precious words felt so sweet, so perfect on my lips. I fell into a deep, peaceful slumber shortly after, and only one man filled my dreams on this night.

* * *

**Author's Note: A sweet/short chapter! The next one will be longer, and will be ready soon, with any amount of luck! I love you all and thank you for reading! Please feel free to leave me a review, or send me a private message if there are any answers you seek where it comes to my writing! :D As those of you who write know well, I cannot say how much each and every review means to me!**

**Love Jasmine**


	14. Chapter Tweleve: New York

**Chapter 12**

**New York**

**"Love is the joy of the good, the wonder of the wise, the amazement of the gods."**

**Plato**

_I__ breathed in the fresh air, I could smell the sweet scents of nature and flowers. Birds sang their beautiful songs in the distance and the sun warmed my skin in a delightful way. My hands rested lightly on a railing made of marble that looked as if it were veined with gold, just like the marble in Ariston's house. A gentle, warm breeze blew my golden wavy hair and the silk of my fine gown behind me. I could hear trees rustle in the distance._

_ I was on a mountain, the clouds moved slowly beneath me in the distance as I looked out over the ocean far below. I smiled as a pair of warm, granite-like arms wrapped around my waist, my skin tingled from the electricity of his touch, making my entire being come to life. I felt his body behind me and I relaxed against it. With the addition of Ariston's arms, I truly felt at home in this breathtaking place._

_ Ariston moved my hair away from my shoulder and kissed it. I gasped and my pulse raced with the storm that flowed throughout my body, making me tingle. He then __made a trail of kisses from my shoulder up to my neck._ My heart was pounding so hard that I thought it was going to break right through my ribs. I placed my hand into his hair and grabbed a fist full of his warm curls as I surrendered to the passion and desire I was feeling. I turned around in Ariston's arms to be embraced by the sky blue of his ancient eyes, they were swimming with a deep love and desire, and lust if I dared say. His mint and vanilla scent surrounded me, drawing me in even more.

_ "I love you, Mera." Ariston said with such intensity that I knew his words to be true._

"_I love you." I told him in the same way._

_ His lips came crashing down on mine with such passion. I clutched to him, my hands in his hair, his arms were around me, holding me in such a way. My heart was pounding in my chest as we continued to kiss._

_ Ariston picked me up with the greatest of ease as he continued to kiss me_. _Next thing I knew, he laid me down on a bed of soft silk with him on top of me, kissing me. My god he feels amazing. He kissed down my neck while his hands roamed over my body.  
_

"_Take me." I whispered in a breathless plea, clutching onto his frame._

_ His lips returned to mine with a dizzying passion as his hand traveled up the outside of my leg, underneath my gown to,  
_

I sat up straight in my bed, my heart pounding and my breathing ragged. I smiled at first, then frowned with great disappointment when I realized it had been a dream. _Oh but what a dream it was!_

My disappointment quickly turned to shock. It was not the dream itself that shocked me, it was the fact that I remembered it. Never once in my life have I remembered my dreams; I always wake up knowing that I have had a dream, but never being able to remember what it was about.

"Ariston." I whispered his name into the morning light, wishing with all my being that he were with me, in my bed, to pick up where my dream left off. I felt dizzy as my cheeks burned.

I laid back down in bed and thought over the dream again and again. A while later I sighed, getting out of my warm bed. I went into the huge bathroom attached to the bedroom, like the rest of the house everything was black and white. I brushed my teeth and took a shower.

I dressed in a light gold day dress, with white pumps, and put my hair up in a high ponytail, then went out to find Margret. She sat on the black leather sofa, dressed in a sky blue dress with a ruffled hem and halter-top straps. We said good morning and she slipped on her white flats, then we were off. We had a quick breakfast at a cafe before we started shopping.

* * *

I felt as if I was going to burst with all theses emotions and thoughts going through me, each fighting for dominance. Between missing Ariston, desiring him, loving him and wondering what he is, it was hard to focus on the task at hand.

By noon I decided that I would do all I could not to think of Ariston, I would just enjoy shopping with Margret. I still felt him though, as if he were standing right next to me, laughing when I made a joke. I felt calmer when I felt him near, even if it was only in my imagination.

The shopping was amazing, and I felt alright about picking things out, since Margret and I would be sharing everything and she was not only buying things for me, but for herself as well. We shopped past lunch, so around 2pm we stopped at a restaurant and had a delicious meal.

We shopped until all the stores closed at 8pm, filling up the limo to the brim with bags and boxes, and getting back to the penthouse over twelve hours after we left it in the morning. When we entered the living room, we collapsed onto the black leather sofa and let out a long sigh and smiled.

"What a day." Margret said.

"You said it." I replied and we laughed.

We decided to have dinner in her penthouse. We changed into comfortable lounge clothing, tank tops and yoga pants of an incredibly soft material. We ate Caesar Salad, steak with vegetables to get back some of the protein and energy we lost today, and finished it up with hot fudge sundaes. It was delicious, her cook is amazing, but she could not hold a candle to Ariston. After we ate, we sat on the couch, deciding on a movie to watch.

"Margret, could we leave tomorrow morning instead?" I asked her.

I felt bad for asking her, I know how she loves shopping, but I do not think I can bear being away from Ariston for another day. Everything seems to remind me of him, and everywhere I am I look for his face even though I knew it was impossible. Margret looked at me and smiled.

"Ariston?" She asked. I nodded.

"How can you stand being away from Jack for so long?" I asked her. "Sometimes I think I might go mad."

"It is not easy." She told me. "I miss him greatly, but I am consoled by knowing that I will be with him again. I will call and see what I can do."

"Thank you." I said with a smile.

She took out her phone and dialed, I sat there and looked through the movies while she made arrangements.

"The soonest we can leave is 1pm tomorrow, is that alright?" Margret asked, I smiled.

"Perfect." I told her.

"Alright, yes, I want two first class seats on that flight. Thank you." She said as she hung up the phone. "Have you decided on a movie?" Margret asked me.

"I am between The Court Jester and The Corpse Bride." I said. She looked at me and we both smiled.

"The Court Jester." We said at the same time, then laughed.

The Court Jester is a true classic that was made back in 1955, starring the great Danny Kaye. Margret and I laughed so hard we cried as we watched the movie.

"The pellet with the poison is in the vessel with the pestle, the chalice from the palace has the brew that is true." I repeated a line from the movie to Margret after we finished watching it, and we both laughed.

"There's been a change, they… broke the chalice from the palace." She quoted with an accent and we laughed again.

"Sleep well, Margret." I said.

"Sweet dreams." Margret smiled, and we went to our rooms.

I changed into a silk knee length, navy blue slip. I brushed my hair out and laid in bed staring up at the ceiling. I tried to sleep but it was useless. I would think that after such a long day I would be able to fall asleep quickly, but it seems that tonight I have no such luck. I sighed and sat up.

I unplugged my cell phone and found Ariston's name in my contacts and pressed send. I had to hear his voice, even if it was only his answering machine.

"Hello." My heart lurched in my chest, and I smiled at the sound of his beautiful voice when he picked up on the second ring.

"Hello, Ariston." I said.

"Mera." He sounded relieved to hear my voice.

"I am sorry for calling so late." I said.

"Do not be, I was up reading." He said. "Is everything alright?"

"Yes, I just wanted to hear your voice." I told him.

"It is wonderful to hear your voice as well." I could almost hear him smile, my smile grew. "How is your trip?" He asked. "You sound tired."

"I am; when Margret says 'shop until you drop' she means it literally." I said and heard a laugh from him, what a sweet sound. "I have never done so much shopping in my life, and there is still tomorrow. She buys me so much."

"You disapprove of this?" He asked, seeming truly curious.

"She has already given me more than she knows. She is the sister I never had, and yet she still sees fit to give me such gifts. You have no idea the things she has bought me." I told him. "I do enjoy her gifts, I just cannot bare the thought of her thinking that I am only friends with her because of her money." I told him in all honesty.

"I am sure she knows how you feel about her," He assured me. "Margret buys you those things because it brings her joy to know that she has helped you. She buys them for you because she loves you as a sister, and loves sharing what she has been blessed with."

"How do you know that?" I asked him.

"Because that is how it is for me." Ariston answered, making me melt. "Except for seeing you as a sister that is." He laughed and I joined in. "What did you do after you shopped?" He inquired, I smiled, loving that he wants to know about my day.

"Margret and I collapsed on the couch and watched an old movie." I told him.

"What movie did you watch?" Ariston asked.

"The Court Jester." I told him.

"The Court Jester is one of my favorites." Ariston said.

"I have watched that movie so many times that I can say it word for word." I told him with a smile. Ariston laughed.

"Now that I would like to see. Which is your favorite scene?" He asked. _How could I ever pick only one?_

"'The vessel with the pestle' is one of them, and when they knight him, and the song of how he became a jester." I chuckled thinking of those scenes and he laughed with me.

"One of my favorites is 'the Duchess dove at the Duke, just when the Duke dove at the Doge. Now the Duke ducked, the Doge dodged, and the Duchess didn't. So the Duke got the Duchess, the Duchess got the Doge, and the Doge got the Duke!'" Ariston quoted it perfectly and I started laughing.

"You know the Italian court." I quoted.

"What better place to court Italians." He finished the line and we both laughed. "I am glad that you are having a good time."

"How is your weekend? Are you still grading papers?" I asked him, just as curious about his day as he was about mine. He chuckled.

"No, I finished those a while ago." He said. "I have mostly been reading a new book called 'The Way Of Kings' by Brandon Sanderson. Have you read it?" He asked.

"No, I have not, is it any good?" I asked him.

"It is very good, I am enjoying it." He said. "Also, my daughter stayed with me, she just left a few hours ago. It was wonderful to see her."

"I am sure it was. How is she?" I asked him.

"She is well, she said she is thinking of buying a house near here. She loves Blueridge." Ariston told me.

For the next three hours we talked and laughed, one topic of conversation leading to another and to another. He is so wonderful to talk to, just hearing his voice was enough to bring me an indescribable joy.

"As much as I would love to keep talking with you till dawn," Ariston said. "I think I should let you get some sleep. You will need your rest, especially if Margret is planning on taking you on another day of shopping." I laughed, knowing he was right but not wanting the conversation to end.

"I suppose you are right." I admitted.

"Sweet dreams, Mera." His voice sounded so beautiful, deep yet soft, and like a caress.

"Sleep well, Ariston." I wanted to say 'I love you' so badly, but that is not the sort of thing that should be said for the first time over the phone. I want to see his eyes when I say the words, so I will know how he feels.

"Goodbye." He said.

"Goodbye." I said.

I could not bring myself to hang up the phone or even so much as move it from my ear. The chance that I could hear his voice once again was too great a prospect. A minute later I heard his chuckle.

"You are still on the phone aren't you." He said, already knowing the answer.

"I am." I said. "I do not seem to be able to hang up."

"Nor I." He sighed with a slight chuckle.

"I will see you Monday." I said.

"Until then." He said in a voice that meant '_tis a thousand years till then.'_

A minute later I knew he was no longer there. I looked at my phone just to be sure, then sighed and laid in bed. I felt much more at ease now, since I not only got to hear his voice, but was also blessed enough to talk with him. I closed my eyes and fell into a peaceful sleep.

* * *

My dream last night was no less detailed and intense than the one I had the night before. I can still feel his hands on me, his lips, his breath on my skin.

After taking a shower, I dressed in the new clothing Margret and I bought yesterday. I choose a white denim pencil skirt with beautiful pumps, a violet silk blouse that is almost the color of my eyes, and some simple accessories, along with a white trench coat and a black Gucci clutch. I put my hair up with a beret that held blue and purple stones in it, and wore the bracelet from Ariston. Looking at it, I began to realize that the white stones were diamonds. I shook my head and smiled at the way they sparkled.

I put my iPod and phone into my clutch, hung the coat over my arm and went to find Margret. I could smell the food, blueberry pancakes. My stomach growled and I smiled, thinking of the last person to make me blueberry pancakes. Margret was dressed and eating at the table in the sunny breakfast nook.

"You're up!" She greeted with a smile.

"Good morning, Margret." I said.

I sat across from her and the maid prepared me a plate of blueberry pancakes, with fresh raspberries and blackberries on top of it and orange slices on the side. The pancakes were stuffed with huge blueberries, just the way I like them. They tasted like heaven, and with the juicy blueberries there was no need for syrup.

"Come on; I think we only have time for Saks left before we leave." Margret said after we ate.

* * *

I have to say that I LOVE Saks Fifth Avenue, they have an amazing selection. I walked through the jewelry department while Margret shopped formal wear. I looked down through a glass case at a necklace, a double strand of pink pearls, I have always loved pearls. It was beautifully stunning, I had never seen pearls that color before.

As I looked at the set of pearls, I saw Ariston's face next to mine in the half reflection of the glass that was between the necklace and myself. It looked like he was looking over my shoulder. I gasped and looked up, but no one was there and when I looked back his reflection was gone. _Ariston was there, I saw him, _I thought to myself. However in the back of mind I wondered if I were losing what was left of my sanity.

"Is there anything you would like to try on, Miss?" Asked a woman with a nametag that said Alice.

I shook myself out of my shock and smiled. I looked down at the beautiful necklace, I really did like it.

"May I try this one on?" I asked.

"Of course." She replied.

Alice took out her keys and opened up the cabinet. She took the double strand out with great care and undid the clasp before holding it out to me. I took it and placed it around my neck and gently did the clasp. I looked in the mirror on the counter and smiled, it looked beautiful. I knew that if I asked Margret, she would be happy to buy it for me, _but she has already bought so much. _I bit my lip.

"How much is this?" I asked Alice.

"Let me see…" She looked at the tag. "$4,399. It is the last one we have in stock." I looked once more in the mirror, then sighed and took it off.

"Thank you for letting me try it on." I said with a smile as I handed the necklace back to her.

It really was not that big of a deal. I am used to not buying expensive things and my parents taught me that it is people that are important, not things.

I walked away from the jewelry and looked around for a few minutes, I found a few things I liked and tried them on before meeting up with Margret to show her what I had found. She loved them, and I handed the clothing to one of the women who were helping Margret.

I walked over to the shoe department. I have always loved shoes, what woman does not? I noticed a woman sitting with about twenty pairs of shoes around her. Her platinum blond, curly hair streamed down her back; she had perfect posture, something my parents and grandmother instilled in me from a young age. Something about the woman seemed familiar, but with her back being to me, I could not tell if I knew her. I walked past her and looked at a pair of beautiful shoes.

"Ah yes, these are lovely. I will take these as well." The woman said in a beautiful voice behind me.

"Of course, Ms. Crete." A man said.

_Ms. Crete? Could it be her?_ I spun around to look at the woman's face. She had the same beautifully angular features, light skin and platinum blond curly hair as the photo Ariston showed me. I walked up to her, and she looked up at me with sky blue eyes and a soft smile on her lips. She holds herself with the same confidence that Ariston does. The strange thing was that she looks to be the same age as he is. _Perhaps she is his sister, he said that he has many._

"Kallisto Crete?" I asked.

"I am. Do we know each other?" She asked kindly.

_Oh my god, it really is her, Ariston's daughter. I can see him in her._ I smiled and shook my head.

"No, we do not." I told her. "I know your father Ariston, he is my History Professor at Blueridge Prep. I am Mera Vandenberg." I held my hand out.

Kallisto stood up and smiled as she shook my hand, her skin is just like her father's, too warm and hard as granite. Her movements are like her father's as well, graceful, fluid.

"Ah so you are Mera, the one who drew my mother dancing with a smile." Kallisto said with a chuckle. "Father speaks of you often," She looked me over. "I see he was not exaggerating." I blushed.

"He speaks of me?" I asked.

She smiled and nodded, I could see in her eyes that she knew that I mean something to Ariston, that I was more than just his student.

"He does indeed." She replied, Kallisto glanced behind me with a smile before her eyes returned to me.

"There you are." I turned to see Margret walking over. Margret glanced at Kallisto curiously as she walked up.

"Margret, this is Kallisto Crete, Ariston's daughter." I told her. "Kallisto, this is my good friend Margret Petrova."

"It is nice to meet you Margret." Kallisto said, shaking Margret's hand. "I saw you in class when I filled in for my father a few days ago."

"I remember, it was a great class." Margret said. "You teach just like your father."

"Thank you." Kallisto said with that same smile, her mothers smile. "I was just heading out for brunch, would you two like to join me?" She asked.

"I would love to." I said, glad to have an opportunity to get to know her.

"Why don't you two go ahead, I want to get some more shopping done before we leave." Margret said to us then turned to me. "Just be sure to be back here by noon so we don't miss our flight."

"Of course, have fun." I said to Margret. Margret walked off and I turned to see Kallisto sitting on the couch she was on before.

"Kallon, see my things paid for." Kallisto said as she slipped a pair of colorful designer shoes on.

"Yes my lady." The man standing next to her said with a bow of his head. _My lady?_

"This way Mera." Kallisto said. We walked out of the store side by side. A white Rolls Royce was waiting for us. The driver opened the door and helped Kallisto inside then myself.

"Where do you come from?" Kallisto asked.

"Pescadero California, and you?" I asked.

"Thessaly, I live on my grandfather's lands there." She said.

We talked some more on the short ride to the restaurant. I saw in Kallisto's eyes that she was appraising me. I could not help but wonder what she thought of me. When we arrived at the tall building, we went into the lobby then into an elevator and went up to top level. The restaurant was on the rooftop. The hostess led us to a table that over looked Central Park and we took our seats.

"My father tells me you ride?" Kallisto asked.

"All my life. I usually ride Margret's horse Willow." I told her with a smile. "Ariston allowed me to ride Vrontos on Wednesday. I love that horse, he is truly extraordinary."

"I rode Vrontos when I visited father yesterday. Did you know I learned to ride on him?" She asked. I shook my head.

"No, I did not." I told her.

"When I was a girl my father taught me. He also taught my brothers to ride on Vrontos as well." She said with a smile. Unlike Ariston, there was not quite the same sadness in her eyes. "Father said that he told you of them and my mother." She said.

"He did, I am sorry for your loss." I told her.

"As am I, but I no longer mourn their deaths, I celebrate their lives as they wanted." She smiled. "I am thankful that I still have my father."

"He is a great man." I said.

"I know." She said smiling. I smiled thinking of him. "You are in love with him." It was not a question.

"Hopelessly so." I told her truthfully.

"So what is keeping you two from being together?" She asked as she buttered a piece of bread.

I was stunned. I had been wondering how she would feel about the possibility of my being in a relationship with her father.

"He always pulls away from me when we get close. He has been through a great tragedy, I know that he needs time to heal." I said after I shook off my shock. Kallisto shook her head with a smile.

"He does not need time Mera, he needs you. My father loves you greatly." She said with a smile as she looked into my eyes. My heart began to race at her words. _Ariston loves me._ I shook my head in amazement while such joy filled me. _There is another thing she gets from her father, she is genuine._ I knew deep within me that every word Kallisto spoke was the truth.

"And I him." I said. She smiled.

"I know. I am happy he has found you, he deserves every happiness after all he has been through." She told me. "Even though you do not need it, you have my blessing to be with him."

"Does it bother you that I am younger than you are?" I had to know. She shook her head, looking into my eyes.

"Do you know how long is has been since I have heard my father laugh?" Kallisto asked. "It was well before my mother and brothers passed. You do not know what he was like before you. It would have broken your heart, I know it did mine." She took a deep breath. "Yes, he would smile and perhaps laugh on occasion, but the sound was never more than a courtesy. He was… hollow, a shell of his former self. No matter what I did nothing changed." She smiled to me then. "And now to see him so happy again, to see his smile and hear his laughter, his true laughter… I cannot begin to describe the joy it brings to my heart, and it is all because of you Mera."

"I had no idea I have had such an impact on him." I said. Kallisto took my hand on the table with tears in her eyes and a smile on her face.

"You have given me my father back. You have brought forth the man that he once was, and for that I will always be grateful to you." The sincerity and gratitude in her words and eyes was truly something to behold. I felt a lump in my throat.

A smile lit my face, a smile that came from my very soul. To hear from his daughter the difference I have made in his life and the joy I bring him truly moves me. It brings me such a deep and fierce joy and even pride to know that I did what I promised, that I helped him. I felt tears in my eyes. Kallisto squeezed my hand gently then let go.

We talked more during lunch, learning more about each other, after which she dropped me off back at Saks.

"Thank you for lunch… and for your blessing. I promise you that I will do everything I can to make him happy if he will have me." I told her, she smiled.

"I know you will, and I have no doubt that he will have you." She said with a smile.

The driver opened the door and helped me out. I waved to Kallisto as she was driven away, and she waved in return. I found Margret in the jewelry section, admiring a stunning necklace.

"How was lunch?" Margret asked, I knew she was not talking about the food.

"Amazing." I said with a smile. "Kallisto is wonderful, she is her father's daughter."

Margret smiled as she looked at the gold necklace, it was intricately designed with butterfly's. I looked at the beautiful jewelry in the glass encasement.

"If you are looking for that necklace, someone already bought it." Alice said.

"Who?" I asked curiously.

"A man, he said that 'his love' would absolutely adore it." She smiled a sad smile.

"I hope she does." I said with a smile and meant it.

"You should have told me if you found something you liked." Margret said with some annoyance.

"Margret, it was $4,400." I said.

"So? The necklace I am holding is twice that and I am still going to get it." She said, then turned to Alice. "Do you have another of the necklace my friend liked?"

"I am afraid not. It was the last one." Alice said with an apologetic smile.

"Tell me next time." Margret said to me.

"It is really not that big of a deal." I told her with a smile. "Thank you though."

We went back to the penthouse. All the things that Margret bought were already packed in the suitcases she bought to bring them home in. The maids packed the things we just bought while Margret and I ate lunch, I was surprised that I was hungry again an hour after I ate. We got to the airport just in time for our flight

* * *

I yawned and closed my eyes on the plane ride to Maine, my weariness finally catching up to me.

_ I walked down a beach, enjoying the wind in my hair and warm sand between my toes. An ethereal presence walked beside me, her straight platinum blond hair was braided back, and here and there emeralds glimmered in her hair. The woman was a few inches shorter than me. I knew who she was by her beautifully angular features that were shockingly like her daughters._

"_You are Ariston's wife." I said to her._

"_I was." She said, her voice sounding so much like her daughter Kallisto's as she turned her forest green eyes to meet mine. "But I was never meant for him. Even though he could not see it at the time, I was never what he needed, not truly."_

"_He loves you." I told her._

"_I know, and I will always love him, but he loves you more." Elianna said with a smile. I did not know what to say to that. "My daughter spoke the truth Mera, Ariston loves you, and he needs you even more than you need him. You are destined for each other, your love was in the weave since long before either of you were born." Elianna raised her arm and pointed at the shore, I looked where she pointed and stopped in my tracks._

_ Fifteen feet from me sat Ariston next to another version of me on a blanket. There was a picnic of beautiful plump fruits out. Ariston took a blackberry and placed it in my mouth. It amazed me how happy he looked, not a trace of sadness in those sky blue eyes of his, only joy and love. He spoke to me in Greek and I replied to him in Greek, sounding just as fluent as he did. Ariston laughed at what I had said._

_ I leaned in and kissed him. He placed his hand on my cheek and we savored the kiss, until a voice made us stop and turn our heads. The sweetest little voice I have ever heard._

"Mi̱téra_, patéras!" Those words I know, they mean 'Mother' and 'Father' in Greek._

_ I turned my head to see a little girl, not older than four, who looks just like me except with Ariston's sky blue eyes, running up along with an older boy of perhaps six or seven. The boy looked like a mixture of Ariston and I, he had Ariston's dark curls but my light skin and violet eyes. They were beautiful and I knew with a certainty that they were Ariston's and mine, our children that we are yet to have._

_ I watched with tears in my eyes, my chest feeling as if it would burst from joy as the boy ran to me and the girl ran to Ariston. We hugged them and laughed and kissed them. I could not get over how happy we looked. A family, we are a family._

"_All this and more can be yours," Elianna said. "But you must tell him the truth, you must tell him how you feel. There is no time to waste, you are going to need each other for what is to come."_

"_He does not need time Mera, he needs you. My father loves you greatly." Kallisto's words murmured through the air around me._

_ I looked at Elianna and she leaned up and kissed my cheek._

"_You have my blessing Mera," Elianna said with a smile. "I want Ariston to be happy, he deserves it after all he has done and all he has been through. Do not hold back with him anymore. You love him and he loves you, holding back is a waste precious of time when you already know you are going to be together forever. Be with him, love him and care for him as I cannot." I nodded as a tear escaped my eye._

"_And tell him of this dream when you feel the time is right." Elianna said, worry crossing her features as she looked at me. "Tell him even though dark times are coming, not to be afraid. Tell him 'the sunset looks like rain.' He will know what it means."_

"_I will, I swear." I said. "I will love him with all my soul and care for him all of my days."_

"_Thank you." She said with such fervor._


	15. Chapter Thirteen: I Love You

**Chapter 13**

**I Love You**

**"Meeting you was fate, becoming your friend was a choice, but falling in love with you was beyond my control."**

**Unknown**

I awoke to the sound of the pilot announcing that we were soon to land in Maine. I watched the clouds go by, smiling with great anticipation and hope dancing within my soul. _When I see Ariston next in private, I will tell him the truth. No matter what he may be, I love him and I need him, nothing will ever change that._

The heat was smoldering when we got back to Blueridge, an odd thing for the end of September. Our bags were carried in for us as we fanned ourselves with whatever spare pieces of paper we could find.

"Why don't we go to the lake?" Margret suggested.

"Great idea." I replied with a smile.

We went through her, our, new things. I chose a white bikini with a deep purple cotton halter-top dress to go over it and some sandals. Margret chose a black bikini with a blue cover up and after a twenty-minute car ride, we reached the lake, its cool sparkling water promising to bring relief from the heat.

The beach and the water were packed with students and people who lived near by. I got out of the car with my towel under my arm, I smiled at the soft breeze coming off the water. I looked out over the people, looking for only one face, the one face I have longed to see all weekend.

Margret and I walked out onto the hot sand, she gasped and started running, and I looked just in time to see her leap into Jack's waiting arms and them kiss. I smiled and turned my gaze back to the water, just in time to see one of the most beautiful sights I have ever witnessed.

Ariston saw me before I saw him, he was walking out of the water and my knees almost gave out at the sight. His body is even more amazing than I imagined it to be, covered in perfectly defined muscles, his abs, his shoulders, his biceps, even his legs were well defined. He ran a hand through his head of black curls as he smiled, his sky blue eyes locked on mine. My cheeks were stained with a blush and I felt dizzy. I realized my jaw was unhinged and I quickly closed it. His crooked smile graced his lips, his white teeth flashing, making me smile.

Seeing him brought back memories of my dreams, making my blush deeper. My heart was pounding as I started walking, it was all I could do to keep myself from running to him. When Ariston reached me, he looked deep down into my eyes, into my very soul and I looked deep into his. His beautiful sky blue eyes were filled with a love that could never be put into words. The song by Alison Krauss said it best, "Old Mr. Webster could never define, what's being said between your heart and mine."

"Hello, Ariston." I said, smiling.

"Hello, Mera." He said while his eyes said 'if you only knew how I have missed you.' I stood there for a moment just taking him in. "How was the rest of your shopping excursion?"

"It was very enjoyable. How was your swim?" I asked somewhat breathlessly.

"It was absolutely wonder; the water is perfect. Would you like to take a swim with me?" He asked and my smile grew.

"I would love to." I replied.

I laid my towel down on the sand and took off my cover up to reveal my bikini underneath. I could feel his eyes on my body, it was a nice feeling. When I looked at him he quickly averted his eyes and I smiled a little. I followed him through the crowds of people and towards the water. He was right, the water was perfect, cool and refreshing on a hot day like today. I could just barely see the dock in the distance, it looked like a small dot floating in the center of the enormous lake.

"Race you to the dock?" I said. He smiled.

"As you wish." Ariston said.

I dove into the waist deep water and began to swim, swimming as fast as I could. I glanced at Ariston when we were half way there to see that he was five feet behind me. Even though I have always been an excellent swimmer, I knew he was letting me win, that he was holding himself back. I rolled my eyes, _always the gentleman._

"Oh come on, are you going to let me win without a fight? What kind of challenge is that?" I called out.

Ariston began really swimming then, and soon he was well ahead of me. I pushed myself harder and he ended up beating me by about two feet. I was out of breath when we reached the dock, but not from the swimming. He was out of breath as well as we laughed.

"You are a great swimmer." He said.

"As are you." I said, still out of breath.

I looked into his eyes, it felt like he was embracing my very soul. _My god, I am in love with him_. I smiled and he smiled.

"Ladies first." Ariston said, gesturing to the ladder.

I smiled and climbed the ladder, once I was up, he followed. I took in the view, the sparkling water, the red and yellow fall leafs on the trees far in the distance as they climbed up the mountainside. I turned around and came face to face with Ariston's chest, he was only inches away. Drops of water ran down his perfect cinnamon skin. I could not stop myself, I lifted my hand and placed it on his chest, relishing the feeling of his too warm, too smooth skin. Touching him sent a rush of warmth through me and even though every nerve in my body was firing, I felt a sense of peace being with him again, as if all was right with the world at long last.

_ What are you?_ The thought echoed in wonder through my mind. _No one this beautiful should exist, but god am I glad he does! _He placed his hands on my arms gently, my heart beating even faster as I felt that I was melting into him yet again.

How do I describe the feeling that envelopes my being when he is near? It is like a cocoon of warmth and peace, but beneath that there is a deep longing, a hunger that one kiss would not be able to satisfy, one kiss would only make the hunger greater. But oh! How I long for that kiss, a kiss that might never come.

Being close to him does things to me, makes me feel things I never knew existed, makes me want things I have never wanted before. I have never desired to know a man's body before I met Ariston. I wonder if he knows that I desire him in such a way, that I not only want to know his body, but that I want him to know mine. There is a part of me that would not care if he loves me or not, if I could just have one beautiful, passionate night with him, while the rest of me knows that one night would never be enough.

I slid my hand down his chest to his abs, not being able to help it, and saw Ariston's chest rise with a deep, sudden breath at my doing this. I loved the way it felt to touch him. I slowly looked up into his eyes, his gaze was intense, looking into the depths of my very soul while drawing me into his. His lips were parted in an all too enticing way. _I honestly do not know how much more I can take. If he does not kiss me soon, I fear I might go mad. _Ariston leaned down and rested his forehead against mine, the tips of our noses touching, and let out a sigh.

"I have missed you, Mera." He said, and my smile grew.

"And I you, Ariston." I told him in a breath.

I wrapped my arms around his neck and held him close as his arms wound around my waist. The feeling of his body next to mine, his skin on my skin, his hands on my body made my heart pound. We stood there for an immeasurable amount of time; I had been longing to hold him since the moment I left his embrace on Friday, and by the way he held me with his cheek caressing mine, I got the feeling that he felt the same way.

A moment later, he pulled back and looked into my eyes for a moment with a smile before letting me go. He walked around me and laid down on the dock with his eyes on me, his head resting on his arms behind his head. I watched him for a moment, admiring his perfect body and the way his cinnamon skin glows so beautifully in the sun, while wanting desperately to be in his arms again, to lay my head on his chest and look up at the sky. Instead I laid down a few feet from him on my side and looked at him. It was so soothing to be in his presence again.

"Why did you not want me to let you win our race?" Ariston asked, looking into my eyes. _Oh his eyes, was there ever a color so beautiful and true?_

"I prefer to win my victories fair and square. There can be no glory without honor." I said.

"I agree." He told me with a smile on his lips and respect in his eyes. I remembered something then.

"I almost forgot to tell you." I said with a smile. "I met your daughter Kallisto while I was in New York. By chance we were shopping in the same store and we went out to brunch together." Ariston smiled a with a look that said 'I should have known.'

"_Chance_ you say?" He asked, his voice almost sarcastic. This confused me but I shook it off.

"She is amazing. I see a lot of you in her." I told him, he smiled.

We laid there looking into each other's eyes, the moment seemed perfect. _It is now or never_, I thought to myself.

"Ariston, I," The words were on my lips when I heard the laughing.

I sat up to see Heather, Ella and Marge swimming out to the dock. I closed my eyes and sighed, trying to rein in my irritation at the interruption.

"Hi, Mera!" Ella waved.

I smiled as politely as I could manage and waved, then turned and looked to Ariston who was now sitting up, his eyes however were not looking at me or at the girls swimming up. He looked to be deep in thought, concentrating on something, then he nodded and looked to me.

"Forgive me, I must go to attend to something." Ariston said.

"Can it wait?" I asked. _I only just got back; does he truly have to leave so soon?_

"I wish it could," I could see in his eyes that he did. "However, a matter of great importance requires my attention." He said.

Ariston took my hand and kissed it; I grasped onto his hand and Ariston looked deep into my eyes, then leaned in and kissed my cheek, I melted under his lips. A storm ran through me as he rested his cheek against mine, my hand went to his other cheek. Ariston lingered for a moment and his nose brushed against my neck once, causing me to gasp and lean in closer to him, almost like his body was magnetized. His hand went to my waist as he lingered there for a moment, before he pulled away just enough to look into my eyes with a smile. His face seeming to glow a stunning shade of gold, it was most likely a trick of the sunlight.

"I will come to you tomorrow. There is much we must speak of." Ariston said in a tender voice. I nodded, lost in his eyes.

"Until then." I said.

For a moment, I thought he was going to kiss me, he was close enough to. Ariston let go of me slowly, then stood up. He was still holding my hand, he caressed it once before releasing it. Ariston dove into the water with amazing grace, I stood up and watched him swim swiftly away as the girls climbed the ladder, still laughing. I sighed. _At least I got to see him today._ I turned back to the girls who were all looking at me with smiles.

"How was your weekend?" I asked them, trying to defer the conversation from where it was inevitably going to go. I was no fool, I knew full well that Ariston could get into trouble for caring for me as he does. And the last thing I wanted was to cause trouble for him.

"Where were you this weekend?" Marge asked with a raised eyebrow and a smile, completely ignoring my question. I smiled, glad to disappoint them.

"I went shopping with Margret in New York. You can ask her if you do not believe me." I told them.

"Oh come on, you have to tell us what is going on between you and Mr. Crete." Ella said in a pleading voice. "Don't try to deny it, you are always spending time together, and you are always smiling and laughing, and not to mention you look at each other like you want to _devour_ one another." I blushed. _It feels something like that, only there is much more too it than physical attraction._

"I enjoy being with him. I care for him, greatly." I said with a shrug.

"I knew it!" Ella said. I sighed and smiled, not being able to help it.

"As much as I would love to sit here and have you hammer me with questions, it is very hot and I would like to swim before I go back to my dorm." I said to them. I turned and dove into the water before they could reply.

I swam underwater for a bit before surfacing. I swam and floated in the water for the next hour or so thinking of Ariston. I wondered what was so important that he had to leave and where he went. I also wondered what he would tell me tomorrow. _Will it be the same truth I want to tell him?_

* * *

After Margret and I came back from the lake I took a shower and settled into the couch for the night. Margret was getting ready for Sara Ambridge's party. I sat on the couch in our living room, drawing images of Ariston from my dreams and also the views I have seen today.

As I drew Ariston and I with our future daughter and son, I realized how badly I truly want this future. To be with Ariston, to have a life with him, to marry him and some day have those beautiful children I saw. I would be honored to be known as his wife and have him known as my husband.

The dream lingered in my mind, what Elianna had said. "_All this and more can be yours, but you must tell him the truth, you must tell him how you feel." _

_ I tried_, I thought. A voice in my mind said, _try harder._

_ I do not know where to find him and this is not something I can tell him over the phone, I need to see his face when I tell him._ I shook my head as Margret walked out of her bedroom while putting an earring in, she looked stunning in a knee length strapless dark blue dress.

"Are you coming to Sara's party tonight?" She asked.

"I do not think so, I am not in a partying mood." I told her.

"Ariston might be there, Sara said she invited him." Margret said in a teasing tone.

I could not help but perk up a bit at the thought of seeing him, but I doubted that he would attend to such a party.

"I have nothing to wear." I said, grasping for an excuse to not have to be put through one of Sara's parties.

"Did you already forget we just went shopping?" Margret asked with a smile.

I smiled and went into my closet, which was now filled with the beautiful clothing Margret bought for us. I chose a red, knee-length, form fitting dress with a sweetheart neckline and spaghetti straps and a pair of black, strappy high heels and a simple gold pendant necklace. I ran a brush through my hair, deciding to keep it loose. I wondered what the night would bring, what Ariston would say if I should find him there. _If the way he looks at me is any indication, things should go well_. I walked out and Margret looked me over with a smile.

"He will love it." She said and I blushed.

_ I hope so. _We walked out of our dorm and took Margret's car to Sara's dorm. We got out and made our way inside, we could already hear the pulse of the music as we walked towards what was once a grand ballroom.

Students danced on the exquisite parquet floor and laughed, there were drinks of course, what high school party would be complete without alcohol? I do not drink, it has never held much appeal for me and I am too honest to lie about it. I scanned the room, hoping I would see him.

"Hey beautiful!" A voice, not the voice I wanted to hear, shouted over the music.

I looked over to see Jack walking up to Margret and kissing her. _Could that ever be Ariston and I?_ The dream came to mind and I smiled as I walked away from them, giving them space while searching for Ariston.

_ Please Ariston, please be here tonight. I have to talk to you, I must tell you the truth. _I pleaded in my mind, wishing with all my being that he could hear me.

"Hey Mera." I turned to see Clark Griffin, one of the popular boys.

He was good looking enough I suppose, with his dark blue eyes and blond hair, but I am too biased to really know. The way he acted, it was easy to tell that he thought he was god's gift to women. Clark was obviously wrong on that account, if anyone is gods gift to women, it is Ariston, no boy or man could ever hope to compare with him.

"Hello Clark." I said, looking around for Ariston.

"So, I heard you and Aaron broke up." Clark said, his voice seeming to care.

"We did; he is a wonderful guy, just not the one for me." I said still looking, _god where is he?_

"Well, if you need someone to talk to, I'm here for you." He said.

I looked at Clark and shook my head. Unlike when Ariston had said similar words to me, I could tell what Clark wanted, it could all be summed up in one word, Sex, and he, like most other high school boys and many men, would do and say anything to get it.

"Thank you for the offer, but I am doing fine." I said coolly, holding my head high, not a trace of smile on my face. I was trying to find the man of my dreams to tell him that I am in love with him. I did not have the patience for some high school boy who was only after one thing.

"In that case, how about tomorrow night?" Clark asked with a smile, stepping up to me.

Clark would not be the first guy to ask me out since Aaron and I broke up, but somehow he seemed the most vulgar. I could smell the alcohol on his breath. I pushed him away with surprising strength, he stumbled a few feet back much to his surprise.

"No way." I said.

"A tough girl, I like that." Clark replied with a smile.

_He obviously does not know who he is dealing with. _My hands curled into fists and I saw Clark freeze as he looked behind me with wide, fearful eyes.

"When a woman says no, she means no." Even though Ariston's voice was dark, like a storm about to strike, it made me feel like I was made out of Jell-O. "Only a weak man would try and force an unwilling woman." Clark stiffened and walked away quickly, tripping over himself in his drunken state.

I turned around to see Ariston watching Clark leave with crossed arms and a dark expression, then he looked to me and his expression changed, softened, and he smiled, his arms uncrossing before he held his hands behind his back.

"Hello Mera." Ariston greeted.

"Hello Ariston." I smiled. Just looking at him made me feel like my skin had burst aflame. "I was hoping to find you here." His smile grew as he looked into my eyes, searching them once again. I took a shaky breath, _I cannot wait any longer, I cannot let another chance pass me by._ "Can we speak? Privately?" I asked, he nodded and motioned towards the doors.

We walked out into the hallway and went down a few other hallways, until we could no longer hear the music. I rested my back against the wall and looked into his eyes as he stood facing me three feet away.

"You look beautiful tonight. That dress is truly something on you." Ariston said, I blushed and smiled.

"Thank you." I replied and he nodded.

"What is it you wish to speak about?" He asked.

I took a deep breath, my heart pounding. _No matter what he feels for me, even if it is nothing at all, I have to tell him the truth._

"Do you believe dreams are more than random thoughts? That they have meaning?" I asked him.

"Yes, dreams can show us the way when we are lost, and can reveal truths." Ariston said in all sincerity, I smiled.

"I had a dream while I was away." I said. "It said that I should tell you something."

"And that is?" He asked. I took a deep breath.

"Understand that because I say the words I am about to say, that you are in no way obligated to repeat them." I told him, looking into those eyes. "I only want the truth from you, even if it is not what I would like to hear. I have to say this." He nodded. _Here goes nothing. _I looked into his eyes.

"Ariston, I love you." It felt wonderful and freeing to say those words directly to him. "I have been in love with you since the moment I met you. This is not just a crush, I do not simply _like_ you, I love you with a fire and a passion and a grace that I could never hope to put into words." I said the words with all my heart, praying he would hear the truth in them. "And I have to know if you feel something, _anything_ for me."

Ariston just looked at me with a smile. I knew what I was seeing in his eyes like I know the sky is blue and grass is green, a deep truth. What I see in his eyes is love; deep, passionate, unconditional, undying love. Yet he was silent.

"Am I misreading what I see in your eyes? The way you are around me?" I asked him.

"No, you are not. Do you honestly not know how I feel about you?" Ariston asked as he looked at me with such a smile. My heart broke out into a sprint. "And here I thought I was being far too obvious." He shook his head with a chuckle before speaking again. "I have been yours since the first time I looked into your entrancing eyes. I love you Mera, yet somehow, those three words cannot fully convey how much you mean to me. I do not know if I can put what I feel for you into words, but for you, I will try." He looked deep into my eyes. "You have brought me to life. Every time you smile, you bring me a joy the likes of which I thought I would never feel again. Your laughter is like a drug to me, a high only you could offer, and your face…" Ariston sighed and shook his head in a kind of wonder. "No words could possibly describe the beauty you possess, inside and out. I have wanted you for my own from the moment I first laid eyes on you, hay and all." He said his words so profoundly, which told me that to him, there was no greater truth than this. I half laughed, tears of pure joy in my eyes. "For who you are, and for who I am when I am with you, I truly, deeply, profoundly, with all my being love you Mera." Ariston said, I could see in his eyes that he is just as hopelessly in love with me as I am with him.

"Neither of us are in a relationship, and I will be eighteen in just over a month." I said with such joy within me. "Ariston, if you love me the way I love you… then I have honestly run out of reasons for why we should not be together."

"So have I." He said with a chuckle. "For some time now."

"Then why do you pull away from me?" I asked him. "Why do you not go further whenever we are close?"

"You just ended your relationship with your boyfriend of two years less than two weeks ago." Ariston said. "I highly doubted you would want to be in a relationship again so soon, and I was more than willing to wait for you."

"You thought wrong." I told him with a smile. "Just because I did not want to be in a relationship with Aaron, does not mean I do not want to be in one with you."

"Why have you not told me this?" He asked with a breathtaking smile.

"I know that you have been hurt by a tragedy few can comprehend, and I know pain like that takes time to heal. I did not want to rush you." I told him. "Whenever we are close, you always pull away from me. I assumed that you were not ready for another relationship."

Ariston stood perfectly still, his breathing quickened, and his eyes shone with such intensity that there was only one way to describe this moment we were in, the calm before the storm.

"I do not pull away from you for the reasons you think," Ariston said each word slowly, letting them sink in. "You have no idea how tempting you truly are to me. You seem to have a power over me Mera that makes me go against my better judgment with shocking ease. It is all I can do to stay sane when I feel your heat. Every time I am close to you, it takes everything I have within me to pull away from you, while everything in me screams not to let you go. I know that if I am too close to you for too long, I will end up doing this."

Ariston stepped up to me, his body against mine, and my back against the wall. The storm broke free in his eyes, his hands went to my hips and my hands went to his chest. Every coherent thought left my mind as his mint and vanilla scented breath washed across my face, my heart pounding even harder feeling the heat of his body pressed up against mine. He leaned down and my eyes closed as he gently brushed his lips against mine. No words could be put to this kiss, no words could do it justice. This kiss was even greater than I dreamt it to be.

It started out sweet and soft even though his lips felt like moist, smoldering granite, and set a tempest raging within my soul. My hands went into his hair and I pulled him to me to deepen the kiss, my body arching against his as his arms tightened around me. The kiss was slow, deep and passionate and filled with a power I could not explain.

This kiss was nothing I was used to, it was not the sweet kiss of an inexperienced boy. It was the kiss a great, beautiful and passionate man that has obviously had much more experience. He knew how to hold me, how to touch me, how to kiss me. That combined with the fact that I am madly, head over heels, over the moon in love with him drove me wild.

Our breathing was ragged when the kiss ended and every inch of my skin felt like it was on fire, my body trembled against his. We kissed again a moment later, this time the kiss was of fire and passion. Ariston held me even closer, then he licked my lips as he brushed my lips with his own; my mouth opened for him and he slowly took the opportunity, and everything within me found yet another way to respond to him as such a sound came from the both of us, his hips flush with my own as we tried to get our bodies even closer. Unlike when Aaron tried something like this, I could not find it in me to pull away. No part of me wanted Ariston to stop touching me, on the contrary, I wanted more.

Our kisses did not stop, they became deeper, more passionate, making the flame I carry for him within me ignite into a full blown wild fire, growing stronger and hotter with each passionate touch as our kisses became far more urgent. My leg wrapped around his waist to hold him closer to me. I knew where these kisses were leading and I wanted it, _badly_, even more so than I had in my dreams.

Ariston stopped kissing me, his body stopping all motion except for his chest rising and falling with each deep rapid breath. I opened my eyes and saw the storm raging in his, _W__hy is he stopping? Is he pulling away from me again?_

I realized then that he was asking for my permission to continue, that if I asked him to stop, he would, no matter how difficult it was for him. I smiled and pulled him back to me and kissed him deeply, I could feel the smile on his lips. I would not _dream_ of asking him to stop, I was burning with passion for what I was feeling and a deep, uncontrollable hunger for more.

I quickly undid the buttons on his shirt and felt the perfect plains of his chest as his hand slid down my body, under my skirt, to run his hand up my thigh as he kissed down my neck and placed such kisses just below my collarbone. I felt something else just then, his essence, the very core of his soul. It felt like he was radiating light and warmth and strength, an all too familiar combination. The truth became all too evident as we were giving in to each other, and four coherent words ran through my mind then. _He is the light. _He felt as if he were made of light, of everything that is good in this world. I smiled then became lost once again in him, in his touches and kisses. It would not be long now.

In one motion, so quickly that I was unsure how it happened, Ariston pulled away from me, wrapped one arm around me and held me close to his side in a protective way as he hurried down the hallway. I did not understand what had just happened until I felt it, the cold darkness. My hands curled into fists and the warrior within me showed herself. My senses expanded and I was not surprised to feel that the light, my protector, was the man who held me in his arms.

I felt that there was more than one of the dark beings, and they were growing closer. My body prepared for the fight I knew was to come.

"No, Mera, I can handle this." Ariston said. "You must not fight them."

I looked up to him, trying to understand what was happening as Ariston rushed us to the exit. He opened the door and quickly brought us outside. He released me from his hold only to grasp my arms and look into my eyes.

"Stay here and whatever you do, do not come near me, or them." Ariston said, his eyes a different kind of intensity than they were a minute before.

He leaned down and kissed me once then in a movement so quick that my eyes could hardly make out more than a blur, he turned away from me and ran a hundred feet away, standing in the moonlit field where most students play soccer behind this dorm. Ariston's eyes were closed, in a flash two swords of a glowing metal appeared in his hands. The night grew darker as thunderclouds rolled in, hiding the light of the moon. The ground shook with the deep rumble of thunder that resounded throughout the field with a sound that could shatter eardrums with ease. Things lit up in brilliant flashes from the lightning so that every few seconds the field would be as bright as day.

"I have been waiting for you." Ariston said in a low, dangerous voice. I knew that he was not talking to me.

Ariston opened his eyes but they were different. His eyes were no longer the sky blue I know so well, they were white and glowing like the lightning itself. In his hands the two short swords shone as brightly as his eyes.

When the lightning flashed I saw shadows take form around Ariston. They were as tall as a man, with eyes that were somehow darker than they were, like black holes that promised to pull all light into them. Their mouths opened up twice as large as a humans could, their teeth like razors, like a piranha's teeth. Instead of hands, three claws made out of wisps of darkness grew from their arms, the claws looking as sharp as Ariston's glowing swords. All together they made a fearsome sight. There looked to be about twenty of them surrounding Ariston.

I feared for the man I love, seeing those dark creatures surrounding him, my heart pounded, but at the same time, I got the feeling that Ariston could handle himself.

"This is all you bring?" Ariston asked in a low voice. "I am insulted." The creatures screamed back at him, their voices like fingernails on a chalk board.

A lightning bolt shot down from the dark clouds above and destroyed two of the creatures, their darkness dissipating before the light that engulfed them and with that, the fight began. Two attacked; Ariston fought them with ease. They screamed when his swords touched them. It looked like light was taking them over, seeping into their darkness through their wounds and spreading. _The only way to defeat darkness is with light_, a voice whispered in my mind. My hands grew hotter as I watched the fight with wide eyes, it was all I could do not to rush over and fight.

A bolt of lightning came down then branched out into three different streams of light and destroyed three more creatures as Ariston fought two others off. Ariston continued to fight, he spun in a circle with his two swords held out, slicing more of the creatures with his swords of light while simultaneously blocking their attacks.

Ariston moved with amazing grace and even though I feared for him, I could not deny the beauty of this sight. His swords were an extension of his arms, moving with him as they were meant to.

There were still ten dark creatures left. Ariston pointed one of his swords at a creature that was charging him and a bolt of lightning shot down from the sky, went through Ariston and burst forth from his sword, destroying the creature. Then Ariston swung his right sword over his head to build up momentum before slicing the sword through the neck of one of the dark beings. It went right through and the creature disappeared, turning into nothing more than ordinary darkness.

I watched in amazement as Ariston fought off the rest of the beings. Not once did the creatures touch him. Lightning continued shooting from the sky and Ariston's swords did not cease their movements as he fought until every single one of those cold, dark beasts were vanquished. I could feel that none of the dark beings remained.

Ariston stood there and closed his eyes. The clouds dissipated and the moon shone brightly once again. Ariston's swords disappeared and when he opened his eyes, they had returned to sky blue.

Ariston looked at me for a moment then began walking towards me as I walked to him in a kind of daze. The earth was scorched where the lightning had hit. I was grateful to see that he was unharmed, not so much as a scratch on him. We stopped a few feet away from each other.

"You are the light." I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

"I fear I have not properly introduced myself." He said. "I am Ariston, son of Zeus."

* * *

**Author's Note: Two whole chapters posted in one day! Guess you see what reviews do ;) I adore this chapter, and I would LOVE to hear what you thought!**


	16. Chapter Fourteen: History Lesson

**Chapter 14**

**History Lesson**

**"Those who desire power are not fit to wield it."**

**Edith Hamilton**

I stood there in awe of the man, the _god_ who stood before me. It made sense, his beauty, his voice, his skin and not to mention the other things he can do. Even though I guessed at it, the truth of it still amazes me. A son of Zeus, the King of the Olympian Gods. However incredible that fact may be, I knew it to be true.

"No last name?" I asked. In that moment, it was all I could think of to say.

"Not even mortals had last names when I was born." Ariston said to me.

"When was that?" I asked.

"July 16th of 3052bc by the calendar you know." Ariston said to me. Suddenly his ancient eyes looked even older, but they were still the same eyes I know so well, the eyes of the man I love.

"You are a god." It was not a question.

"I am." He replied. I looked at him, almost as if I were seeing him for the first time. His face was placid but I could see in his eyes something was bothering him. "We have much to speak of, there is much I must tell you but I do not think this is the place." He said, I nodded.

"We can go to my apartment." I said.

"I can bring us there," Ariston told me.

He slowly stepped up to me, as if not knowing how I would react to him. I smiled to him and he seemed to relax a bit. He smiled, a small smile but still nice to see, as he slipped his arms around my waist, I placed my hands on his bare chest.

I gasped as his whole body began to glow a warm golden light until he looked how his essence felt, he was literally made out of light, even his eyes glowed but they were still the same sky blue I know so well. Deep down I realized that I was seeing Ariston in his truest form. The golden light surrounded me, he surrounded me, and a moment later the light was gone but I was still lost in his eyes.

"Shall we sit?" Ariston asked.

He removed his arms and sat down as he buttoned his shirt, to my great disappointment. I looked around and saw that we were in the living room of my apartment. I sat down next to Ariston on the white couch, not able to take my eyes off of him.

"Where would you like me to begin?" He asked.

"What were those things, those cold, dark creatures you fought?" I asked.

"Every culture has a name for them." Ariston said. "The Christians call them Demons. In Buddhism they are called the Seizer's. The Chinese call them Gu, while the Japanese call them Oni. We simply call them the Shadows. They were created aeons ago, before even my grandfather's birth. Their original purpose was to torment evil doers, they go inside of a mortal's body and bond with their soul and in doing so put the mortal in their own personal hell. They did their job well until a certain god freed them." He paused. "To understand the Shadows, I must tell you of the darkest time in the History of the Gods, the time when my grandfather overthrew a good king."

"Your grandfather Cronus." I said, remembering my Greek Mythology. Ariston shook his head.

"That was not his name." Ariston said. "Truth be told, I do not know my grandfather's name. Cronus, however, is my sister's husband and a great and honorable god of nature."

"Why do you not know his name?" I asked.

"One of the greatest punishments and shames in my world is to become a Nameless One." Ariston told me. "Many do great and evil things so that their name will stand out in history and live on long after they are gone. When an immortal commits a truly horrible act, they are imprisoned in Tartarus, an unimaginable hell in the deepest pits of the Underworld, and their name is destroyed so that not even they can remember it. From then on they are known as a Nameless One. This punishment has only been dealt to two immortals, one was my grandfather." Ariston explained.

"And the other?" I asked, his expression darkened.

"The other is the immortal who tried to rape my sister when she was fifteen." His voice was as dark as his expression. "Back to the story at hand." He said. "My grandfather was powerful, clever and ambitious. A truly dangerous combination. He wanted more power, and at some point he got it into his mind to bond with a weak Shadow." Ariston told me.

"Why would anyone want to do that?" I asked Ariston. _Who would want to torment themselves in such a way?_

"Some can handle darkness. They can turn that darkness within them into a great strength, a power few can match." Ariston explained. "The Nameless One was desperate for more power and so he did the unthinkable. It worked at first, but the Shadow began to feed off of him and became stronger than my grandfather. It corrupted his mind, his very soul. The Nameless One soon discovered that he could control the Shadows because he had one within him; he became their king. But it was not enough for him, he still wanted more.

"After years of planning, the Nameless One overthrew a great god who was king at the time, King Ouranos." Ariston continued. "If there is one thing to be said for the Nameless One, it is that he is smart. He did not openly attack Ouranos, he began with words, not swords. He privately accused King Ouranos of an unspeakable crime, going from one god to another to see who would believe and follow him. When he had gathered enough deities, he proclaimed to everyone else the lie he created. Those who believed him fought at his side when the time came, those who did not were locked up in Tartarus.

"As powerful and wise as King Ouranos was, he was no match for the Nameless One and his minions, and he knew it. Before he was taken, King Ouranos spirited his wife Queen Gaia and their young son Prince Cronus away to the Isle of Crete, where Ouranos created a web of his own magic to hide his wife and son from detection.

"King Ouranos did not struggle when they took him down to the Underworld. Some say it was because he knew of the prophecy." Ariston said.

"What prophecy?" I asked him.

"Simply put, it stated that the Nameless One would be cast down from his high seat by his own son, who was yet to be born. And that son's eldest child would be the one whom would one day kill the Nameless One. Ouranos knew what he had to do. He had to make the Nameless One think that he had won, he needed to stay out of the way so that this son of the Nameless One could be born.

"The Nameless One requested of King Hades that Ouranos be locked away in Tartarus for his crimes. Hades is no fool, he saw what was going on, but for the sake of his kingdom he kept his lips sealed and agreed. However, when the Nameless One and the others left, Hades gave King Ouranos a comfortable place to stay in his palace to wait out the days until his return."

"The Nameless One was outraged that he could not find Ouranos' queen and heir, but he found a way to use it to his advantage. To make himself appear merciful, the Nameless One decided that instead of hunting down and killing Queen Gaia and young Prince Cronus, he proclaimed them exiles, while naming himself King of the Gods.

"Many years later, unaware of the prophecy, the Nameless One wanted a child. Even though he did not intend on ever giving up his throne, he wanted a son who would be the living image of himself. He soon took Ouranos' eldest daughter to be his wife. Her name is Theia.

"Theia soon bore her husband the son he wanted so badly. They named him Zeus. It is tradition that when a child of a god is born that they are taken to the Moirae, the Fates, to find out their destiny. And so the Nameless One and his bride went to the Underworld with their newborn son. It was there he was told a prophecy of a ten-year war that would end his reign, and that his newborn son that his wife now held in her arms, would be his undoing.

"When someone has attained great power, what they fear most is losing it. Theia feared for the safety of her son. She did not know how far her husband would go in order to keep his throne.

"The Nameless One and Theia went back to their home on Mt. Athos. As much as it killed her to admit it, Theia knew that even if her husband did not harm Zeus, he would not raise him correctly either. She could not bear to have her son become like his father, a god she had once loved, but came to hate, and so she called for her brother Cronus and asked him to take her son away and raise him with their mother Gaia. Cronus, of course, agreed.

"The Nameless One was furious when he found his son was gone. No matter what he did to her, Thiea would not tell her husband where their son was, she would not risk Zeus falling into his hands.

"When asked what had become of his son, the Nameless One told the gods that the Moirae prophesied that his son would commit a great evil and so he had no other choice but to have him reborn into a mortal body where he could not be of harm to the gods.

"Cronus was a father to my father, which is where Mythology got the stories mixed up." Ariston said with a smile. "Cronus taught him everything he knows and raised him as well as he could. My father has said time and time again that he does not know who he would have become if it had not been for Cronus and Gaia."

"When Cronus was twenty-three they found a way to free his father from the underworld, and with his help they began gathering followers. It was not difficult, seeing as how from the day he took power the Nameless One neglected his duties. The Nameless One wanted the title of King but had no interest in the work it entailed.

"The gods grew lazy under the Nameless One's rule and forgot their duty to the mortals. The humans began to starve since food was no longer growing, that was the beginning of cannibalism, there was nothing else for them to eat." I was horrified at the thought. "Believe it or not, it was Hades that kept the mortals alive, but that came at a price and not one of his choosing."

"What price?" I asked Ariston.

"Hades is not only a god of death and King of the Underworld, he is a god of the earth. All the things deep within the earth belong to him, and so in order for him to be able to reach up that high to make food grow, the mortals had to make a sacrifice of blood and sprinkle it on their fields. The purer the blood, the more food grew, and so young virgins and even children were plucked from their mother's arms for this purpose. In time the mortals came to accept this sacrifice, they saw it as an honor for their child to be chosen for such a task, for the child's death would keep the village alive. Through that blood Hades was able to make scant amounts of food grow, but it was never enough.

"Hades still cursed those that killed their children for such a purpose, or for any purpose. In the eyes of the gods there is no crime so great as that of harming a child, whether it be through words or actions. Hades has since sworn to never honor such a sacrifice again, it sickened him to do so.

"Some of the gods saw this happening and were sickened that the mortals were not being cared for. They went to their King and demanded an explanation. Instead of taking responsibility for his doings, the Nameless One blamed the mortals. He claimed that he tried to help them, but every miracle he sent their way they threw back in his face, killing their own children as a sacrifice to Hades instead of accepting his gifts. He told them that he had been watching the mortals and he found them to be petty, jealous creatures, thinking of nothing but themselves. He stated that such a race did not deserve the beautiful, lush world they had been given, and that he feared that the mortals might have to be destroyed in order to preserve the Earth. The other gods said that surely he was misunderstanding their actions. He told them that perhaps they were right." Ariston shook his head. "The Nameless One is a master manipulator, he knows how to make people believe what he wants them to believe and do what he wants them to do.

"Unbeknownst to the gods who followed him, to prove his point, the Nameless One gave his Shadows free reign of the mortals and told them to possess whom they pleased. Since the Shadows were only supposed to be able to possess the wicked, the gods believed the Nameless One to be telling the truth, that the mortals were more corrupted than they feared. It was to the point that they considered destroying the mortals, but the Nameless One, _always being the voice of reason,_ said that perhaps the mortals were not evil." The words twisted in Ariston's mouth as he said them with heavy sarcasm. "He wanted the gods to beg him for permission to destroy the mortals so that he could never be blamed, and so he bided his time.

"Once Zeus, Cronus and his father King Ouranos had enough followers, the war began. A war that is now known as the Titanomachy." Ariston pronounced it 'Te-Tan-O-Ma-He-Ah'. "After ten long years of fighting, the Nameless One relented and went into hiding, promising that he would avenge this 'grave injustice.' Try as they did, the gods could not find the Nameless One." Ariston paused.

"This all really happened?" I asked, only half believing it.

"Yes, it did." Ariston said. "It happened fifteen thousand years ago. It was more than ten thousand years before my birth, and there is much more to the story."

"After years of purging innocent mortals, only to have them infected with Shadows again, it became clear to King Ouranos what he must do." Ariston said. "As much as it pained him to do so, he melted the ice that was over much of Europe and North America and flooded the hills and valley's of Earth. Billions were killed in the flood, whole civilizations were destroyed, but there was no other way. There were simply too many mortals for the gods to purge.

"Those whom lived higher up in mountains and such, survived the floods, but there were only thousands of mortals left on the Earth. Even then it was a challenge to purge their souls of the Shadows, there were so many Shadows that once one was out of a body and destroyed another would jump in.

"In time King Ouranos grew tired of this ceaseless fight and passed the crown down to my father Zeus, since Cronus turned it down. My father married his wife Hera and not long after, the destined child of his was born. To their surprise, it was a daughter, not a son, my sister the Crown Princess Ennina." Ariston said with the second smile I had seen on his lips since he began the story, but it did not last long.

"Do you know the story of Pandora?" Ariston asked softly, not looking at me. I nodded.

"Zeus was angry with Prometheus for giving fire to the mortals and wanted to punish him." I began. "Pandora was created by the gods, she was the most beautiful woman anyone had ever seen, some stories say that she was the first mortal woman. She was given as a gift to Prometheus' brother Epimetheus as a bride. Pandora was given a box and told never, under any circumstances, to open it. She put the box away but her curiosity got the best of her, and when she opened the box all the evils of the world poured out until the only thing that was left in the box was hope." I have read many different versions so I repeated the basis of the story.

"That is what Mythology will tell you, however that is not exactly how it happened." I saw sorrow and worry within his eyes before he glanced away. When Ariston looked back to me a moment later those emotions were gone. "After the Nameless One's reign, the world was consumed in darkness. The Shadows were in almost every mortal in the world and their master still ran free, hiding among them. It was shortly after my father had taken power, he was still trying to bring peace to the world after what his birth father had done.

"Pandora was a mortal woman with a powerful secret, she was a Demigod, a daughter of Zeus. She was one of the first children he fathered that was not by his wife. With his wife he had already fathered three children. The twins, Ennina and Ares, and his daughter Hebe. Like Ennina, Pandora was immune to the shadows, they could not harm her the way they could harm others, her soul was made of too strong a light for them to be able to corrupt. My father protected her of course, but she knew that she had to stop the evils that were plaguing the Earth, she knew it was her destiny.

"Pandora found out what she had to do. She had a box created for her, a box made of light, beauty, love and hope, the strongest things that are good in this world. The box was able to hold a vast amount of Shadows, and she made it so that only she or those of her bloodline would be able to operate or find it if need be.

"Pandora discovered that she had a power that not even the gods possessed. When Shadows neared her, her hands grew hot and a pure light would burst forth from her palms, a light so powerful that it would destroy any Shadow it came into contact with." I looked down at my hands, remembering the times they grew hot when I felt the darkness, wondering once again what I am.

"Pandora, went from mortal to mortal, village to village, and removed the Shadows that had taken such deep root within them and stored them in the box." Ariston continued the story. "After living their whole lives in chaos, the mortals had to be taught how to live in peace again, which was where the gods came in. Ennina joined forces with her sister, helping to protect her as she went on this journey. In the end, Pandora locked away almost every single Shadow in existence. The few that remained were easy prey for the gods, and it was not long before the Nameless One himself was captured and imprisoned in Tartarus. Pandora was honored by the gods for what she did, her name immortalized by giving it the meaning 'the gift of all' and she was granted immortality, a gift few that are not born to it are given.

"Pandora kept her box with her, hidden and safe. Pandora married Epimetheus and they had two beautiful daughters, Alexis and their youngest Reina." Ariston finished and I smiled.

"That is a beautiful story." I said to Ariston.

"If only that were how it ended." Ariston sighed then continued. "Eight years later disaster struck. No one is certain of exactly what happened. Epimetheus came home and found what was left of Reina, his youngest daughter, lying on the floor. He held her in his arms as she died, disappearing into light, becoming nothing. The Shadows had murdered her, that much was clear. The box was gone and Pandora was nowhere to be found. Some believe that Pandora opened the box, and after the Shadows killed her daughter, she fled with the box in her grief. However, those who knew Pandora say that she would never do such a thing.

"They searched for Pandora for millennia before they came to accept that she must be dead. We still search for the box, some of the gods believe that the Shadows took the box, and so we search in places where the Shadows are the strongest." Ariston finished.

It was a lot to take in. Ariston gave me a moment as I tried to sort through what I had just learned. One thing was clear however.

"Why not just finish him?" I asked. "There must be a way, and it is more than clear that the Nameless One will only do harm." Ariston cracked a smile.

"We are of an agreement there Mera. We would destroy his soul, if we could find him." He said.

"Find him? You said he was imprisoned within Tartarus?" I was confused.

"Mera, you do not understand. He escaped the Underworld almost a thousand years ago." I stared at Ariston in shock.

"You mean to say that he is free?" I asked in horror.

"Sadly so." Ariston said. "He has made it clear that he is bent on destroying the human race. For whatever reason, he blames them for his down fall. He has been wreaking havoc on the world since his escape. It is all we can do to keep up with his madness. Each and every time he has risen up against us we have beaten him back, however there were times when it was close. The closest the Nameless One came to destroying the human race was in the twelfth century, with the Black Death. It killed over 75 million people in just twelve years."

"That was him?" I asked in disgust. Ariston nodded.

"The Black Death was of his creation. There were many reports of dark creatures that would come before the Black Death, they were the ones who were said to have spread it. They would come in black robes with monstrous faces and claws for hands. Sound familiar?" He asked.

"The Shadows." I stated simply.

"The Cuban Missile Crisis was one of his, as well as the World Wars. But he has never been as close as he is now. He has never had so many followers." Ariston said. "Our numbers have increased as well. There were just under a thousand gods in the Worlds during the Titanomachy. Our numbers are currently in the tens of millions, and that is only counting the Gods and Immortals. There are other creatures that are of light who have fought with us before, and will fight with us again." He was silent for a moment before he looked at me, I smiled and he sighed. "Are you okay with this? With who and what I am?" Ariston asked.

"Mm, because being a god is _such_ a turn off." I said with a smirk and he smiled.

"I am not human." He stated.

"I already knew that before I told you I love you." I said.

"How?" Ariston asked.

"When you held me before I left for New York, my ear was over your heart, but I heard no beat. I knew that you were something more, I just was unsure what exactly that was." I told him. "May I ask you something?"

"Anything." He looked as if he just had the weight of the world lifted off of his shoulders.

"If I had not witnessed what I did tonight, would you still have told me who you are?" I asked him.

"Yes, I was planning on telling you tomorrow. I never wanted to keep the truth from you." He said.

"Then why did you?" I asked.

"I wanted to ease you into this truth, so that I was not just suddenly telling you that I am a god. Though I thought I had more time, then tonight happened." Ariston said, I remembered the subtle hints he gave such as telling me that his towels are made out of clouds. He sighed and looked down at his hands before adding, "I also waited to tell you, because I was not certain you were ready to know who you are." _And here we come to the other part of this mystery, something I have been wondering about since the first day of school._

"What am I?" I asked, hoping for once to get a straight answer.

"You are a Descendant of the gods, Mera." Ariston answered.

Something hit me then, something that made my heart stop and erased the smile from my face. _Am I a Demigod?_

"Mera, what is wrong?" Ariston asked, concern clear in his voice.

"Is George my father?" I asked with tears in my eyes, I could hardly breath.

I have always loved my father, I am like him in so many ways. I could not imagine my mother cheating on my father, but the very thought of it broke my heart and made me question everything I knew to be true. _How else could I be what I am? I must be the daughter of a god.  
_

"Yes, he is your father. George and Anne are your birth parents, you are not a Demigod." Ariston said quickly. I looked into his eyes and saw that he was telling the truth. I let out a huge shaky sigh, relief washing over me.

"What am I then?" I asked.

"As I said before, you are a Descendant. Allow me to explain." Ariston said to me. "A Demigod is the child of a mortal and a god. Descendants are the children, grandchildren, great grandchildren etc. of a Demigod. Although Descendants are in mortal bodies, they carry divinity within their genetic structure. It is hidden so well that most mortals could not find it, even if they knew what to look for. The gene lays dormant in most Descendants, but some are born with that gene active within them, and because of that they can have access to certain abilities, though nothing beyond the minor ones while they are within a vessel.

"Active Descendants are in between, not divine but not necessarily mortal either. They can walk in both worlds because their human body shields the radiance of their souls. The Shadows are less drawn to Descendants, and because of that, they can do their work with more stealth than a god can, and so they come in quite handy. When two Descendants have a child together, the chance is greatened that the gene will be active within said child. We watch for this. How much do you know about Norse Mythology?" Ariston asked.

"Only a little." I admitted, he nodded.

"Do you know the prophecy of Ragnarök?" Ariston asked.

"Ragnarök is supposed to be the end of the world, a final battle between good and evil. In the story some of the gods are supposed to die. The story goes that the Norse Gods are gathering the Descendant's of Oden for an Army to fight in the final war." I said what little I knew.

"The Aesir are not the only family of gods who are gathering an Army of Descendants, all of the Five Factions are training theirs. We all are preparing for this war." Ariston said. he must have known my next question because he answered it before I had the chance to voice it. "There are five main royal families of the Gods. The Greeks who are also known as the Olympians, the Norse who are the Aesir, the Hindu, the Egyptians who are the Ennead. The Chinese and Japanese Gods are one in the same, though the cultures differ greatly. It is like the difference between the Greeks and Romans, yet their gods are one in the same, only they have different names. Those families make up the Five Factions." I saw in Ariston's eyes that there was something he was leaving out.

"What does all of this have to do with me?" I asked Ariston, looking into his eyes as a dozen emotions ran through his gaze, dread being one of them.

"You are also needed to destroy him, the Nameless One." Ariston said.

"Me?" I asked, completely surprised.

"Yes Mera, you." Ariston said as he looked into my eyes. "You are far more important than you know, and not only to me. You are the Descendant of all Twelve of the Olympians, and of Pandora." He took my hands into his own before speaking again. "You have barely begun to tap into the power you possess." He looked up into my eyes with a slight smile. "Your ancestry is unheard of. To not only be descended from the Twelve, but also from Pandora?" Ariston shook his head. "You are very rare indeed. I did not believe it at first when I was told of you, I thought it was one of Hermes jokes. I had to look over your family tree myself before I could take it for a truth."

"Wait a moment," I said. "How can I be a Descendent of all twelve gods? I thought Athena and Artemis are virgin goddesses?" I asked in confusion.

"It has been thousands of years since my family was worshiped, much has been lost to time. Both Artemis and Ennina are married." Ariston stated.

"Ennina?" I asked, not familiar with the name. He pronounced the name Eh-Ne-Na.

"My family were not always Greek Gods. Long ago they were the gods of the Sumerians and before the Sumerians they were gods to others." Ariston said. "The Sumerians worshipped my sister by her birth name, Ennina. Many thousands of years later, the Greeks took up my family's warship and they called my sister Athena, a name very close to her birth name. Then when the Romans began to worship us, they called her Minerva." Ariston was quiet as he looked into my eyes.

"I was sent to you to see if you were willing to join this fight, and if so to bring you back to Olympus where you would become part of the Army of Descendants." Ariston told me. "When I saw how you reacted to battling that mugger… how it affected you, and when you told me that you did not want this… I made a decision. I went to my father and asked him to stop your training."

"My training?" I asked.

"Why do you think you never remember your dreams?" Ariston asked. "Just like every other Active, your whole life you have been trained through your dreams so that you would be able to protect yourself, and also so that when the time came you could join the Army if you chose.

"My father thought it over and it was on Friday he agreed to stop your training." Ariston told me. "My father would not force upon you a life you do not want, he would not do that to anyone. There must always be a choice, or else we are no better than they are." Ariston paused as he looked into my eyes. "When a Descendant turns down a place in the Army, which is rare, it is the decree of the Twelve that the Descendant be left to their life. Having a god around would only attract Shadows, as tonight proved. Even though the law states that I would have to leave you, it does not apply if the god and the Descendant are in love. I knew that I loved you but I did not know if you were in love with me.

"I could not have left you, that much I knew. I decided that if you did not want a relationship with me, I would be your friend and follow you for the rest of your days. Just to be near you, to be in your life would be enough, no matter how much I wanted more. I also knew that I would keep you safe at all cost." He smiled then, his breathtaking crooked grin. "On Friday night, when you said you love me, and when you asked me to come to you tonight, I heard you." Ariston told me with such a smile.

"How?" I asked, a smile on my face.

"I am a god. You called to me," Ariston said simply before elaborating. "You were not just saying the words, you were reaching out to say them to me. I cannot describe the… euphoria you brought me that night when you said you love me for the first time. I cloaked myself and went to see you in your room. I almost appeared to you right then and there and proclaimed my love for you, but I decided against it." He looked into my eyes with wonder and love in his, and chuckled once then sighed.

"I was not supposed to fall in love with you." Ariston said with a tender smile as he caressed my cheek.

"Nothing goes as planned when love is involved." I told him and with that, he leaned in and captured my lips with his own, the kiss was half way between sweetness and passion.

I rose to my knees and clutched him closer, my fingers going into his warm curls to deepen the kiss, forgetting everything else but him. My heart pounded in my chest as he wrapped his arms around me and pulled me closer, making me gasp before continuing to enjoy his insistent kisses. I felt like I was on fire as we clutched onto each other. Elvis said it best, "What a lovely way to burn." I wrapped my leg around Ariston's waist so that I was hovering over his lap, his face tilted up to reach my lips. We moaned as I deepened the kiss and his hands ran up and down my sides, feeling the curves my body has to offer before he broke off those heated kisses we shared.

"Mera, we do not have to do this tonight." Ariston said, his voice breathy and his hands not moving from their places.

"Why wait?" I asked, kissing him again. He pulled back to look into my eyes.

"Mera," He began again.

"Just this once can you not be a gentleman?" I asked in almost aggravation. He smiled and raised his hand and slipped something in between my lips, it felt like a seed.

"Eat this." Ariston said.

I chewed and swallowed it and he kissed me deeply, French kissing as we had been doing when he broke off our kisses. I had never liked it with Aaron, but with Ariston it drove me crazy, he tasted like nothing else. Not to mention, he knew exactly how to kiss. I could feel him giving into me, opening up to me, his essence surrounding me again. Ariston guided our actions from there, I enjoyed that. His lips left mine and made a trail of kisses down my neck, then along my shoulder where he slipped off the strap to my dress, but the bodice was tight enough that it left me covered. He lifted me up then moved so that I was lying on the couch with him on top of me. His hands roamed over my body, much like he had in my dreams of him. His lips returned to mine with a mind-boggling passion. I held him close, wanting him, wanting this more than anything.

My hands slid under his shirt as I clutched onto his marble-like back, I could not seem to get him close enough. Next thing I knew I was sitting on the couch with my legs crossed and Ariston was nowhere to be seen. I was dazed, just a moment before he had been close, so close.

_ He disappeared,_ I realized. Although I do not know why that should surprise me with everything I have seen and learned tonight. I was about to call his name to see where he was, when the door opened and Margret came through it with Jack, they were laughing and kissing.

"Oh, I thought you would be asleep." Margret said, somewhat embarrassed when she noticed I was sitting here. "We'll be going." She said as she led Jack to her room by his hand. When her door shut behind her I found Ariston sitting next to me, I gasped.

"Forgive me, I did not think you would want them to see us like that." Ariston said with a smile. He was right. "I should be going." Ariston said standing up. I stood up in front of him and placed my hand on his chest.

"Must you?" I asked, pleading with my eyes for him not to leave.

"We both know what will happen if I stay." Ariston said, his voice low and full of meaning.

"Why do you think I am asking?" I said, a slight smile on my lips. He sighed.

"Did you really want your first time to be on a couch with a man you hardly know?" He asked.

"I do have a bed." I said. He shook his head.

"That is not my point." Ariston said, placing his hands on my arms gently. "Mera, I want you to understand me. Yes, I desire you, far more than you know, but sex is not the only thing I want from you. I am not looking for a tryst, I want a real and lasting relationship with you. I do not just want you for one night, I want you always. Someday I want to marry you. For now, I would like to court you. I want to know you and I want you to know me on the deepest levels of understanding. Please, allow me to do that, to build a relationship and a future for us, before we make love." He said. I smiled at his words. _What a man he is._

"Alright, but no chaperons." I told him. He laughed.

"As you wish." Ariston said with that smile. "Besides, I enjoy spending time alone with you far too much to have a chaperone. Unless you wished for one of course."

"Just one thing though." I said.

"And that is?" He asked. I placed my hand on his cheek then leaned up and kissed him. He held onto me.

"Do not keep me waiting too long, I may not survive." I said when thoughts started flowing though my mind again. He chuckled. "Are you sure you do not want to stay?" I asked, hoping he would change his mind while at the same time knowing he would not.

"Yes, I do want to stay." Ariston said, sending warm shivers down my spine, and then he sighed. "But I will not, not tonight."

He caressed my cheek and kissed my forehead then looked into my eyes. He did not have to say the words, his eyes whispered 'I love you.'

Ariston smiled and I returned the smile without even trying to. He reluctantly let me go and then made his way to the door. His hand was on the knob when I could not take it.

"Ariston." My voice had a tone of desperation within it as I rushed to him.

He turned to me just in time to catch me as I leapt into his arms and kissed him. He held me, my feet a foot off the floor, as we breathlessly kissed for a few minutes before he pulled away.

"Don't go." I begged him.

"I must." He said.

I shook my head and kissed him again, deeply, and he turned so that my back was against the door, as he kissed me over and over again passionately. When he stopped kissing me, our breathing was ragged.

"Why must you tease me so?" Ariston asked, his voice breathless and filled with desire.

"You know why." I said, brushing my nose against his. He smiled that perfect crooked smile and kissed me again. _How am I supposed to make it through the night without him?_

Ariston held me close for a moment and turned us around before lowering my feet to the ground. He looked into my eyes as he caressed my cheek.

"If you need me, say my name and I will hear you no matter where you are." He said, I nodded with a smile. "I love you Mera, with all my soul I love you."

"I love you, Ariston." I said to him.

He placed a sweet, lingering kiss on my forehead with his hand on my arm then walked out the door. I leaned against the door, my head spinning. It felt as if everything had fallen into place.


	17. Chapter Fifteen: First Date

**Chapter 15**

**First Date**

**"Oh blessed, blessed night! I am afeard, Being in night, all this is but a dream, Too flatteringly-sweet to be substantial."**

**William Shakespeare**

I awoke a few minutes before my alarm. _Was it all a dream?_ It did seem to good to be true, _oh but it felt so real_. I bit my lip as I thought of how Ariston held me and kissed me, of what his perfect marble-like body felt like. I felt dizzy at the thought. I shook my head, trying to clear it, _trying_ being the word. I got up and walked into my bathroom and went to the sink to brush my teeth. When I looked at myself in the mirror, I saw the proof on my neck and shoulder that last night was _not_ a dream.

I examined the many love bites on my neck and shoulder, heat filling my cheeks and the rest of me as I thought back to how each and every one was made. My knees almost gave out at the thought and I laughed breathlessly. They seemed almost completely healed, bruises of any kind have never lasted long on me, it must be a 'Descendant' thing. I brushed my teeth and got into a shower. When I was finished I went into my closet. I smiled at the new clothing. I put on a simple skirt and luckily found a white lace, V-neck, button down shirt with cap sleeves that covered up most of the love bites. My hair would most likely cover the ones on my neck, but I did not want to take the chance that I might forget and put my hair up.

I knew I needed to put concealer on so nobody would see, but I had none of my own. I put my hand on my neck, trying to be casual about it as I walked into the living room.

"Margret?" I called. "Could I borrow some concealer?"

"Sure, what for?" Margret asked from her bedroom. She sounded confused, I never wear make up.

"I have a zit." I lied. She walked into the living room from her bedroom carrying the concealer.

"You don't get zit's." Margret said, smiling at me in a knowing way. "Move your hand." She said. I lifted my left hand and she rolled her eyes. "The other hand." I sighed and blushed when I did. She smiled as she looked at my neck.

"Hmm, it appears I was not the only one who had a good night." She said, I blushed deeply.

"It did not get that far." I told her.

"These hickeys would suggest other wise. Ariston?" Margret asked. I nodded. She came up to me and looked at the love bites. "Wow, these seem pretty healed, they usually take days to go away on me." She said. "Details?" She asked as we walked into my bathroom. She started applying the make up and looked at me to begin the story.

"I told Ariston that I love him." I told her with a great smile.

"And?" She asked.

"In short, he told me that he is in love with me and has been since the day we met." I told her. "Then he kissed me… things progressed from there. The passion was…" I shook my head and took a deep breath while biting my lip, not being able to find the right word.

"And?" She prodded with her smile, my smile grew.

"We came back here and talked more, and kissed more." I told her, purposefully leaving out the battle I watched and the knowledge I gained last night. "Things were intense, wonderfully so. I thought that it was going to be it. I would not have regretted it if he had let himself continue… but he stopped, even though I begged him not to. He told me again that he loves me and that he wants to build a relationship and a future for us before we take that step."

"He really does love you." Margret said with sincerity in her voice and a smile.

"I know." I replied with a smile when something occurred to me. "Margret? Why does this makeup match my skin tone?" I asked her. Her skin is lighter than mine, her makeup should not match my skin, unless...

"I bought it for you while we were in New York, I knew something like this was bound to happen sooner or later." She said with a smile.

"Thank you." I said.

"Did you hear that storm last night?" Margret asked. "How weird was that? There was not a cloud in the sky when we went inside, remember? I leapt into Jack's arms when the first of the thunder came, luckily it did not last long."

"It was quite a storm." I said, my voice sounding as far away as my mind was.

In my mind I saw the storm last night. I saw Ariston fighting those beasts, the Shadows, with glowing eyes and swords as he moved like the wind and struck like the lighting that was around him. I saw the bolts of lightning turn those Shadows into nothing.

"There, done." Margret smiled, bringing me out of my reverie.

"Thank you." I kissed her cheek.

I quickly brushed my hair out and grabbed my bag. I hurried out the door with a quick goodbye to Margret and reached the History Classroom ten minutes later due to my quick walking. I was hoping that perhaps I would be able to talk to Ariston alone before class starts. I longed to kiss him again.

Much to my disappointment, he was not in the classroom when I arrived. I sighed as I walked in. A moment later I heard the door click closed behind me. I turned to see Ariston standing there looking at me with such a smile, wearing gray dress pants and a dark blue dress shirt with a few of the buttons undone. My heart lurched in my chest at the sight of him and I smiled back breathlessly.

I was about to run to him when in a moment's time, he stood before me, inches away. My mind could hardly process how quickly he had moved, I was staring at his chest. Ariston gently took hold of my chin and tilted my head up until our eyes met. After a moment of gazing into my eyes, he leaned down and brushed his lips across mine in a tender kiss that set the storm raging throughout my body once again.

My arms wound around his neck as he wrapped his arm around my waist, his hand that had been holding my chin, brushed across my cheekbone before tangling in my hair. We kissed passionately, to the point where there was almost no air left in my lungs.

When our lips parted my whole body was tingling as we held each other. I savored his warmth as I held him as close as I could, our lips only centimeters apart and our foreheads touching, all the while thanking god or the Fates or whomever that last night was real.

"Thank god." I breathed. "I worried that last night was all a dream when I woke up this morning." I told him breathlessly.

"You have dreams like that?" Ariston asked, sounding just as breathless. I chuckled and blushed.

"Only about you." I told him, looking into his eyes, surrounded by the sky blue from our proximity.

"What made you know it was real?" Ariston asked, I blushed deeply.

"My neck and shoulder." I told him.

"Ah," He smiled and leaned back to get a better look at me. He brushed my hair over my shoulder and moved my shirt over a bit, examining the marks he made. "I can take care of those for you if you wish." He offered.

"That would be wonderful." I smiled.

My heart pounded as he undid a few buttons on my blouse and moved it off my shoulder, my lace bra was just barely exposed, which I saw him make note of. Ariston leaned down and his warm, granite-like lips gently bushed against my shoulder, I closed my eyes while melting into his embrace at the feeling. I could feel his warmth and essence seeping into me and healing the marks he made. It was an overwhelming, overpowering feeling, I gasped. He continued kissing up my shoulder slowly, kissing away each of the love bites he made. By the time he reached my neck I was clutching onto him, my heart pounding in my chest and my breathing ragged. I could feel his hot breath on my neck, I had no idea if he had finished healing me or not.

"I am trying to heal these for you my love. However, if you keep holding me like that, I might end up making them darker." Ariston's voice was deeper with desire as his nose traced my neck.

"I would not mind." I said breathlessly as my fingers went into his warm, soft curls.

In one of his quick movements, he moved away and sat at his desk. I realized that my shirt was back in place, and not a moment later students came pouring through the door and I smiled as I took my seat. My heart was still pounding. I noticed that Ariston's cheeks were faintly glowing a golden hue, _I wonder if that is how he blushes._

I watched Ariston as I always do when he teaches. His eyes met mine for an immeasurable moment every now and then, and each time I saw deep emotions playing within his sky blue eyes. He was smiling, a secret smile that was meant only for me. My heart skipped a beat and heat filled my cheeks each time our eyes met. _I wonder if everyone else can see the change in him today, his happiness._

When the class ended I waited for everyone else to leave the classroom, not caring what anyone would say about my staying behind yet again. Ariston walked over to the door and shut it. When he did, he turned to me and smiled that crooked grin.

"Mera." He sighed my name and we ran to each other.

I leapt into his waiting arms and we kissed. It felt like a year had passed since I had last tasted his lips. I thought I might burst from all the happiness within me. When the kiss ended we gazed into each other's eyes.

"I am sorry about last night," Ariston said. "As much as I would have loved to stay with you, it would not have been right."

"I understand." I said. _If he feels even half as much desire for me as I do for him, then it will not be long before he is pleading with me._ That thought made me smile and blush further.

"May I take you out to dinner tonight?" Ariston asked.

"Why Ariston, are you asking me out on a date?" I asked in a playful tone, he chuckled.

"I believe I am." He said as he caressed my cheek.

"I would love to, what time?" I asked.

"I will pick you up at your apartment at 6pm" He said.

"Ariston, if you pick me up at my apartment, everyone will know." I said, hoping he would understand what was worrying me, he did.

"Mera, in case you have forgotten, I am a god, the laws do not exactly apply to me." Ariston said with a smile.

"Still, you could lose your job for dating a student." I said.

"You think my job could be more important than you?" Ariston asked with that smile of his. The answer was easy to see in his eyes. "I took this job because of you, and now I keep it to be with you. I am only here because you are."

"I do not want to make things complicated for you." I said, Ariston laughed.

"It is a little late for that," He said, shaking his head with a big smile. "Mera, you have turned my whole world upside down, and in turn you have brought me a joy I thought I would never know again." I was once again breathless at his words as I smiled to him.

"People will talk." I said, he smiled.

"Let them; I love you and I am not ashamed of that." He replied tenderly, I smiled, amazed by this great god once again.

"What should I wear?" I asked.

"I will send something for you." He said, then shook his head as he looked at me. "You are so beautiful, Mera." He said in a tender voice.

I looked into his eyes, embraced by liquid sky blue, and saw such deep emotion playing within them. He leaned down and kissed me, my arms quickly went around him to deepen the kiss, his hand went into my hair and his arm wound around my waist, holding my body to his. Things were getting intense when he pulled away. I looked up into his eyes, they were hungry but he seemed to be in control of it. I could see his smile in his eyes.

"There is no rush, we have time. This is only the beginning, my Mera." Ariston said, his voice loving and tender.

'My Mera' I love how that sounds on his lips. I felt so blissful, my heart soaring at the truth he had spoken. _He is right, this is only the beginning for us._ He kissed my forehead gently then held me close for a moment, I relished it.

"You should go. You would not want to be late for your next class, would you?" Ariston asked just before the bell rang.

I sighed. We reluctantly let go of each other and I was walking to the door when I heard his voice.

"Mera?" Ariston said, I turned to look at him, and he smiled to me. "I love you." I was breathless at the profound truth in his words.

"I love you, my Ariston." I said, the same truth in my voice. His smile grew at that.

We stood there smiling to each other for a moment before I found the will to turn and walk away.

* * *

The school day seemed to drag on and on, I felt like I was floating on a cloud the whole time. Ariston was all I could think about, but that was nothing new. I was grateful when my last class ended. Margret and I walked back to our dorm together.

"What is that scent?" Margret asked when we walked into our apartment. "It smells like roses."

"I am not sure." I said.

There was a note on my bedroom door written in beautiful script, I knew the handwriting. It read:

For you my love…

I walked into my bedroom and gasped, my hand flying to my heart. It was filled with hundreds of vases of red roses, their heavenly fragrance hung heavily in the air. They were everywhere, I smiled and shook my head in amazement.

"Oh Ariston." I said in a breath.

"What is it Mera?" Margret asked, she walked in and gasped. "_Oh my_."

There was a large blue box on my bed with a single red rose next to it, I walked over to it. There was another note on top with my name written on it. I opened it up and read it.

My Dearest Mera...

I hope you find the gown to your liking.

All my love, Your Ariston

P.S. Enjoy the roses

I smiled and shook my head. I opened up the box and gasped at the soft pink silk in there. Inside was the most beautiful dress I had ever seen. I took it out, it was cool to the touch and felt like silk, just like the material Ariston's clothing is made out of. Cloud silk he had called it. I knew the gown would be just my size.

"Wow." Margret said.

"You took the word right out of my mouth." I said.

Of course Ariston did not stop at just a dress, he gave me shoes and a clutch, both of which were white and beautifully detailed.

"He has great taste." Margret commented, all I could do was nod.

I took a shower and wrapped my hair up in a towel and read Ariston's notes once again. I took out my phone and dialed his number.

"Hello Mera." He answered on the first ring. His very voice made me swoon, I had to sit down on my bed.

"You are far too generous, did you know that?" I asked, a smile in my voice. He chuckled.

"How is the dress?" He asked.

"It is perfect, I cannot wait to put it on. I love the clutch and shoes as well. Thank you." I told him.

"You are very welcome." Ariston said.

"I should be going, I need to get ready." I said.

"As do I." He replied.

We ended up doing the same thing we did last time we talked on the phone, both waiting for the other person to hang up the phone because we could not bring ourselves to. After about ten minutes of this, we finally said goodbye and I put my dress on.

I looked at myself in the full-length mirror, the dress was, of course, a perfect fit. It was a soft pink layered dress with a large jeweled detail on my waist. The draped bustier with soft pleating gave it a flowing look. The deep V-neck in the front was sexy but still somewhat modest while the thick straps crisscrossed over the open back of the gown. What really amazed me was how comfortable it was.

The white shoes were hidden underneath the floor length gown and the purse brought out the light color in the dress. I spun in the gown, delighting in the way the cool silky fabric moved with my movements. Margret gasped when she saw me.

"That dress is perfect on you." She said as she looked at it.

"Would you do my hair?" I asked her, she smiled and nodded.

Margret brought me into her room and pinned my hair up softly. It looked perfect. I heard a knock on the door and smiled to Margret as I hurried out to open it.

Ariston looked into my eyes and smiled then looked me over in the dress. I twirled with a smile, the silk dancing around me. His face was priceless, his jaw unhinged. _I am going to have to draw that next time I have a chance._ I was just as amazed by what he wore, a black silk suit with a white dress shirt and a blue tie that brought out his eyes. He looked like the god he is.

"What do you think?" I asked him.

"You are stunning, beautiful beyond all words," Ariston said looking into my eyes. "The dress is not bad either." He added in and I laughed and blushed.

"You flatter me." I said.

"No, I am simply stating the obvious, my love." He said, his voice so gentle and genuine.

"You look so very handsome." I told him, Ariston smiled.

He caressed my cheek then leaned down and kissed my lips, a sweet kiss that left me breathless.

"I have missed you my Mera." He whispered.

"You just saw me this morning." I said.

"A life time ago you mean." He said, I chuckled and we kissed again.

"Hi, Mr. Crete." Margret said.

Ariston stopped kissing me and looked at Margret. His face was glowing golden again from our kissing, he had such a smile upon his lips. I do love his smile.

"Hello, Miss Petrova. You are welcome to call me Ariston outside of the classroom." He said.

"Alright, Ariston." She smiled then looked to me. "I will get your coat." With that she walked out of the room.

"I do have one more thing to complete the outfit." Ariston said to me.

He pulled a large red velvet jewelry box out from behind his back, and opened it up before me. I gasped.

"It was you! You bought it?" I asked in amazement. The smile on his face because of my excitement was even more beautiful than the gift.

"I saw you admiring it in New York and could not help myself, I saw how much you wanted it." Ariston told me.

I admired the beautiful pink pearls in the jewelry box, the same double strand I tried on and loved so much in Saks Fifth Avenue when I was in New York.

"I knew you were there." I said, looking up into his sky blue eyes.

"You were not supposed to see me." Ariston said with that smirk, his voice low. "May I?"

I nodded. He took the pearls out and I turned around, he lowered the necklace over my head then fastened it around my neck, his warm fingers lingering on my neck in a way that made my heart skip a beat. I turned around to look at him, into those eyes that are far more beautiful than any jewel could hope to be.

"Perfect." He said.

I stroked the pearls with my fingers and smiled, knowing he was speaking of me and not the necklace. My heart has not beat at a normal pace since we met, it is always either fluttering or pounding, even when I am not with him. This god is that much a part of me.

"Thank you." I smiled then closed my eyes as I realized something. Irritation slipped into me but when I opened my eyes to see him watching me with fascination, my irritation evaporated in an instant. "You are going to be just as bad as Margret, aren't you?"

I knew he would know I was speaking about his buying things for me. I tried to be irritated with him, but it was impossible. Ariston laughed and shook his head.

"Oh no my love, I am going to be _far _worse." He said with a devilish grin. I shook my head and I could not help the chuckle that escaped my lips. "Is there something wrong with my wanting to lavish the woman I love with beautiful gifts?" He asked.

"No, I suppose not." I said with a sigh. "As long as you know that that is not why I am with you. I do not care about diamonds or fancy things. I love you and I would want to be with you even if you were poor. Money means nothing to me."

"I know my Mera." He said with knowing eyes that saw into my soul. I smiled. "And I hope you know that I am not trying to buy you with these gifts." My smile grew.

"I know that my love." I told him. "And besides, you cannot buy what is already yours." He sighed and shook his head, that same smile on his face and within his eyes. I placed my hand on his chest and leaned up and kissed him, then lingered with my forehead resting against his.

"Here you are." Margret said a moment later. I turned around and took my jacket. "Sorry to interrupt." She added.

"It is alright, I will see you later." I kissed Margret's cheek then turned back to Ariston.

"Allow me." Ariston said, taking my jacket and holding it out for me.

I smiled, no one has ever done that for me. I slipped my arms through the sleeves and turned to him. He held his arm out to me and I wrapped my arm through his and smiled to him. We walked out of my apartment and through the halls towards the stairs. The students that were walking the halls watched us with gaping expressions, and I realized that it made no matter to me what they might think. I love Ariston and I am going to be with him, always, and that is that. We got the same expressions as we walked down the grand staircase and out the stained glass double doors. A limo was waiting outside for us. The driver opened the door and Ariston helped me in then slid in beside me.

"Where are we going tonight?" I asked him.

"It is a surprise." He smiled and my smile grew. _I do love surprises._

We sat in a comfortable silence holding hands for the short ride, before we arrived at the airport and pulled up in front of a jet that was the size of a Boeing 747. The plane was painted in a pearlescent pure white, with the logo being a gold Omega symbol with the ID numbers next to it. The most amazing thing about the aircraft was that the middle of it was made of an arch of glass.

"Is that yours?" I asked.

"It is." Ariston said.

"If you are trying to impress me, it is working." I told him, he laughed as the limo came to a stop.

Even with how we are with each other, Ariston's hand did not stray below the middle of my back as he guided me towards the plane. _Very respectful,_ I thought with a smile. We climbed on board and were greeted by the captain. The interior was amazing! It was like a house. Ariston led me through different cabins to the glass room, it had a brown leather couch with a matching love seat and four chairs with stunning décor and white carpets.

"Wow." I said in amazement.

"I am glad you like it. May I take your coat?" Ariston asked.

I smiled and nodded and he helped me out of my coat and laid it over a chair, then took his blazer off and placed it over the chair so he was just wearing his white silk button down shirt with the blue tie. I noticed that he was wearing pale pink cuff links that were the same color as my dress, I liked that we matched. I placed my clutch on the chair.

"Do you mind if I take my shoes off?" I asked with a smile.

"Of course not, make yourself at home." Ariston's voice was kind and genuine. I took off my shoes and placed them at the foot of the chair. "Would you like to have a seat?" He asked. I nodded and we sat on the plush leather couch next to each other.

"Why do you have an airplane when you can just teleport wherever you need to go?" I wondered.

"It is nice to travel in style from time to time." Ariston said with a smile.

"I suppose I can understand that, if I had a plane like this I would want to fly in it as well." I said, looking around again.

"My Mera, anything that is mine is yours to use at your leisure." Ariston said, I looked back into his eyes.

"Truly?" I asked.

"Of course, there is nothing I would deny you." He said, I blushed and smiled.

"Nothing?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Have we not been over this?" Ariston asked, then he chuckled. "You know, it is hard enough trying to keep my hands off of you as it is. You do not make things easier." I smiled and he chuckled. We sat there, and my mind started racing with questions, so many things I want to know.

"You look about ready to burst with questions." Ariston laughed.

"I am." I admitted.

"By all means, ask away." Ariston said.

"Can you read my mind?" I asked. He chuckled.

"No, not yours. Any mortals mind is open to me and others who have earned the title of god or goddess. However, we are unable to listen into the minds of Gods, Demigods and Descendants." He explained. "Next question." I smiled.

"What about mind control?" I asked. "I noticed what you did to that officer after I fought off the mugger."

"It is not so much that I was controlling her," Ariston said. "I simply planted the thought in her mind and made it irresistible for her to say yes. I could not do that to anyone with divine ichor within them, such as you. I have no power over you." Ariston assured me.

"I would not say that." I told him, our smiles grew.

"Next?" He asked.

"What of the other gods? Your family?" I asked.

"They are your family as well Mera, you are descended from them. They are your grandmothers and grandfathers." He said.

"Can I meet them?" I asked.

"Of course you may, they can hardly wait to meet you." Ariston paused. "However, I would like to ask you if you would consider waiting a few weeks to do so." I saw something in his eyes, he hid it well enough that I could not make it out.

"For what reason?" I asked.

"I just got you. I am not ready to share you yet. I want you for my own for a while." He said.

"But my Ariston, I am your own." I told him. He smiled.

"I realize that. However, when you go to Olympus everyone is going to want to become acquainted with you. I am going to hardly get to see you and I cannot bare the thought of being parted from you just yet." Ariston said.

"I suppose a few weeks would not hurt." I told him, he smiled and sighed.

"Thank you my love." He leaned down and kissed my lips. "Next question." He almost whispered. When I could think somewhat clearly again, I chose another question from my arsenal.

"You said that you are not human. What exactly are gods? How do you work?" I asked.

"Souls are immortal," Ariston began. "Or, better said, souls live until they are destroyed. That is only done in worse case scenarios, when a soul is so corrupted by evil that it will do nothing but harm to the Worlds."

"The Worlds?" I asked, not understanding the term.

"The Earth consists of four worlds; the Ocean; the Earth itself, where mortals reside; the Underworld, where souls go after they leave their bodies until they are reborn, and the High Heavens where most gods reside.

"Back to your other question." Ariston said. "The souls that reside within human bodies, which we refer to as vessels, each have a drop of the Divine within them, it is how their souls are immortal. Gods have two drops of the Divine, or so the stories say. We do not need a vessel to exist outside the Underworld. You saw me when I teleported you, that is my most basic form, one of light. That golden light is called ichor, it is the golden essence gods are made of. Our form resembles a mortal's body on the outside but we are different within. You did not hear my heart beat, because I have no heart within me, I have no need for one or any other organs." Ariston explained.

"What of children? Is the... process the same?" I asked, he smiled and almost laughed at how I asked.

"Yes, that is how we are able to mate with humans." He said. "The child that is brought forth though the union of a mortal and a god will always be the same, a soul with the potential of being a god within a mortal vessel. The mortals very soul is made stronger from their divine parent. They are known as Demigods. Because of the divinity within them, Demigods are stronger, faster and smarter than even the greatest mortals. They are born and destined for greatness. When their bodies die they become immortal if the divinity is strong enough within them. If it is not, then the soul is reborn into another body when the time comes."

I placed my hand on Ariston's chest, feeling his warmth through his cloud silk shirt, the material of which was quite thin.

"So that is what you are." I said with a smile. "What about the warmth? Is that another divine attribute?" I asked, looking into his eyes.

"It is." He answered.

"Do you get overheated?" I asked him. Ariston shook his head.

"Heat and cold do not affect me the same way it does a mortal." Ariston told me. "I feel the changes in temperature but it does not affect me. I could stand naked during a blizzard in the south poll and be perfectly warm." I blushed at the image my mind created and averted my eyes.

I looked out the window and was amazed to see that we were in the air, I could not remember taking off. It was quiet, I could not hear the engines. I rose from the couch and walked towards the wall of glass. The clouds, painted in the hues of the sunset, were so beautiful below me. I felt Ariston's arm around my shoulders a moment later, I rested my head on his shoulder.

"How is the pressure not shattering the glass?" I asked him.

"It is because that is not glass." He told me. "It is made of pure diamond, that was melted and formed into this singular piece." I was shocked and shook my head, knowing I would have to get used to such information, seeing as how I am dating a wonderful god I am completely in love with. My focus shifted to the stunning view.

"I have always felt at home up here. I feel as if I belong among the clouds." I told him.

"That is because you do, my Mera." Ariston said softly into my ear. "Olympus is above the clouds. It is a view much like this."

"I saw that in a dream, the first dream I have ever had on Friday night." I told him. "I was on a mountain above the clouds, looking down on water far below. There were pillars of white marble veined with gold, like the marble in your home."

"That is Olympus." Ariston said.

"Do you think you will return? Will you live there once again?" I asked.

"Of course, it is my home. I will be leaving within a month if all goes as planned." He said.

Sadness gripped me at his words and I found myself fighting back tears. I could not breathe. _He is leaving. Will I ever see him again after that?_ I laid my head on his chest and wrapped my arms around his body, all the while not being able to imagine how I would or even could ever live without him.

"What is it?" Ariston asked, stroking my hair as he held me.

"You're leaving." I said, looking up at him. Understanding came into his eyes.

"Not without you." He stated. My sadness went away then and there. I held onto him closer, sighing in relief. "Mera, how could you ever possibly believe for one moment that I could live without you?" Ariston asked.

"I suppose I was being foolish." I admitted. "The idea of not having you in my life is inconceivable… I cannot go back to the way things were before you. I love you and I need you, more than I could ever hope to put into words." Ariston pulled back to look into my eyes as he shook his head in disbelief.

"You say how you need me, but what you do not seem to understand is that I am the one who needs you." Ariston paused for a moment. "I do not know how to explain what my life was like, what I was like, before you. I was fragmented, lifeless. I did my duties and went through all the motions of life but felt nothing. I made myself numb, it was easier than dealing with the pain.

"I would bed women I cared nothing for, just so that for a few hours I could forget what my life had become since my wife and sons died." He smiled then, his eyes holding so much love and gratitude as he laid his hand upon my cheek. "Then you walk into my life and with that first smile you gave me, you ignited a fire within me that I thought was long gone. You make me feel passion and love and need, things I thought were gone, lost to the pain and sorrow that plagued my days. You give me hope, my Mera, hope for a life filled with such joys. You bring me a peace and a love that I could never hope to repay you for." I smiled and placed my hand on his cheek, my heart filled with love.

"It would seem to me my Ariston, that we are both rather helpless without each other." I said, he smiled and nodded his agreement.

What we have discovered, our weakness, which is also our strength, is for us alone to truly know of. Besides, it was not as if we could ever hope to explain this love we share. I leaned up and kissed him, a sweet, long, lingering kiss.

"I love you, my Ariston." I said, breathlessly.

"I love you, my Mera." He said.

I laid my head against his chest and enjoyed the peace I always find while within his embrace. I found that I liked the quiet in place of the noise of a beating heart, it is peaceful.

"Mera, look." Ariston said a few minutes later. I turned my head and looked out the window and my smile grew.

"New York?" I asked, looking out over the city lights.

"There is a restaurant here I thought you would enjoy." Ariston said. I smiled to him. "We may want to sit down for the descent."

He led me to the couch and we sat down, my head on his shoulder and his arm wrapped around me. I looked out the window, watching the tall, lit buildings go by in the distance. Minutes later we landed at LaGuardia International Airport. We did not pull up to a gate, the plane stopped by a huge aircraft hanger instead.

I got up and put on my shoes, then Ariston helped me with my coat and I grabbed my clutch while he put his black blazer back on. We held hands as he led me from the plane. The same white Rolls Royce I rode in with Kallisto was waiting for us. _It is hard to believe that was only yesterday, it feels almost another lifetime ago_. After getting in the car, I looked over at Ariston to see that his eyes were on me. I smiled to him and he gave my hand the gentlest of squeezes. _It is amazing how much can change in a day. My whole world changed in one day._

We arrived at a beautiful restaurant twenty minutes later, its architecture was French, with white stucco and blue shutters and flower boxes. A valet helped me out of the car, and when Ariston got out a moment later I took his arm. He led me into the restaurant, the place was packed, people were talking to the hostess while many people were sitting on couches and chairs as they waited for tables.

On a huge blackboard was a sentence written in French, then again in English.

_Ce soir, Le Château est l'honneur de présenter la magnifique Rebecca Corriea._

_Tonight, The Chateau is honored to present the wonderful Rebecca Corriea._

We checked my coat then Ariston and I walked up to the hostess. I could see her reaction to him, her eyes widening and her jaw becoming unhinged for a moment before she reined in her expression, or tried to at least. I could not blame her, remembering the first time I had seen the god next to me.

"Réservations pour Crète?" Ariston said in fluent French. The woman smiled.

"Votre table est prête. Redressez de cette façon." She replied in beautiful French, it was obviously her first language.

She picked up two menus and led us through a portion of the restaurant and outside. A grid of wires wrapped in strands of glittering gold hung above the flagstone dance floor, they provided a perfect ambient lighting without removing the view of the stars and moon. Beyond the dance floor, a string quartet in white topcoats played upon the stage. In front of them was a mic on a stand, waiting for tonight's singer.

Around the dance floor, tables were set underneath rod iron trellises with climbing roses and candles hanging from them, each trellis had silk curtains that were pulled back. It was a stunning and romantic set up. There were ten trellis covered tables outlining the dance floor and ten more beyond them.

I looked up and smiled at the stars and constellations as the sweet music and the sounds of night floated around Ariston and I.

Our table was simple, with a white silk tablecloth, gold utensils and plates with red napkins with large gold rings around them. In the center of the table the head of a open white rose floating in a bowl of water, with red rose petals floating around it. Ariston held my chair out for me and I took the seat he offered.

After Ariston took his seat, the hostess spoke more words in French and I believe Ariston thanked her, she blushed and walked away. I looked at him, smiling.

"What?" He asked.

"So I take it you are used to women falling all over you?" I asked.

"I take it you are used to men falling all over you?" He asked, I chuckled.

I looked at the menu and sighed, _it is in French, of course it is in French._

"Ariston?" I said, slightly embarrassed.

"Yes my love." He looked up at me from his menu.

"I cannot speak or read French." I admitted.

"Not to worry, I can do both. What would you like?" He asked.

"Anything that is good, I have never been picky. No snails though." I said.

"Are you certain? They actually are not that bad." He teased.

"Quite certain." I said. Ariston chuckled and I smiled.

The waiter came and began speaking in French, I gathered that he was telling us the specials. When he would glance at me I would smile as if I knew what he was talking about.

Ariston replied in perfect French, it almost seemed as if Ariston spoke the language better than our waiter did. He and the waiter conversed for a few minutes before the waiter took our menus and walked away. Ariston looked back to me and laughed.

"That man speaks in French and thinks in Spanish, it is very distracting." Ariston said and I chuckled.

"Why am I not surprised you speak French as well?" I asked. He smiled.

"I can speak every language that has ever been spoken." Ariston said as if it were nothing.

"How is that?" I asked.

"It is a talent of my kind, we can speak any language so that we can communicate with anyone, anywhere. It comes in quite handy." He said.

I rested my elbows on the table and rested my chin upon my hands, looking at the beautiful god before me.

"So what other talents do you have other than being a great kisser, great dancer, an amazing horse rider and speaking every language known to man and gods?" I asked, he chuckled.

"There are many things we can do." He said.

"Such as?" I asked.

Ariston glanced around then touched one of the petals of the full white rose floating in the bowl with a glowing finger. The rose closed, twirling in on itself, becoming a bud again. I was amazed, my eyes wide as saucers. He touched the rose bud with his golden glowing finger again, and it unfurled to its full beauty once again. What Ariston had done was beautiful and stunning in its simplicity.

"Wow." I said in a breath. I realized then how beautiful his hands are, they are large like most men's, with long fingers. There was something about them that made me smile, they, like everything else about him, were perfect, beautiful. I looked up into his eyes with amazement. "That is amazing." I told him, speaking of what he had done with the rose.

Ariston smiled at my wonder. The food came shortly after, a three-course meal. The scents were as beautiful as the food itself. Our first course was a wonderful mushroom soup. The second was our main course, Ariston ordered the duck for me and steak for himself. The meat was juicy and tender and tasted as delicious as it looked and smelled.

The waiter brought out a bottle of wine with the second course and poured some into Ariston's glass. Ariston swirled the red wine in the glass, sniffed it, then took a sip.

"Très bon." Ariston said to the waiter with a smile.

The waiter poured more into Ariston's glass once he saw that Ariston liked the vintage. I was surprised when he also poured me a glass. I have always looked older than my age. The waiter smiled to Ariston and I then walked away, leaving the bottle with us.

"Have you had wine before?" Ariston asked me.

"A sip at my uncle's wedding just to see what it tasted like." I admitted. "I did not like it, it was bitter."

"It was most likely a cheap wine," Ariston said, swirling the red liquid in his glass. "A wine like this is smoother and more flavorful since it has been aged and has a nice body to it. I have always preferred sweeter wines, anyways."

"I am too young." I said. Ariston smiled and shook his head.

"Mera, I am not trying to get you drunk, I just thought that perhaps you would enjoy some wine with dinner. Father let me have a glass of wine with dinner by the time I was ten. It is not a strong wine, I do not drink anything with too much alcohol in it, it takes away from the taste of the fruit." Ariston stated.

"I suppose a sip would not hurt." I gave in. I _was_ curious what it would taste like.

I picked the glass up and sniffed it, it smelled nice. I took a small sip, it tasted sweet, I even tasted a hint of cinnamon. I enjoyed it.

"What do you think?" Ariston asked.

"I like it, thank you." I said, he smiled and took a sip of his wine then raised his glass in a toast.

"To the blessing of finding you and your love, I am forever grateful." Ariston toasted. "To the first of many beautiful nights to come."

"Cheers." I said with a smile and clinked my glass with his then took a sip of the delicious wine.

The wine went perfectly with dinner. After we ate the second course it was time for dessert. The waiter brought us a plate with two thick slices of rich chocolate cake and vanilla ice cream with raspberry, chocolate and caramel sauces drizzled over the top and red and white rose petals around the plate. It was delicious.

I took my napkin off my lap and wiped the corners of my mouth after we finished.

"That was… divine." I said, Ariston and I both chuckled. "I am happy you enjoyed it." He said.

"Ladies and gentlemen," Ariston and I turned to see a man in a tux on the stage. "I am honored to present the wonderfully talented Rebecca Corriea." He announced. Ariston and I clapped along with everyone else as a beautiful woman with dark brown hair walked onto the stage in a sleek black dress. Rebecca's guitar hung from a red strap around her shoulder.

"This song is called Bring On The Rain." Rebecca said. Ariston stood and came over to me with his hand held out.

"May I have this dance?" He asked.

"You may." I said taking his hand.

He led me to the middle of the dance floor and gently pulled me in close. He wrapped his arm around my waist, his hand resting on my bare back. I placed my hand on his shoulder as he took my other hand in his and held it against his chest as we began slow dancing. Everyone else in restaurant faded away, there was only Ariston, myself and the music as we glided in a slow circle, cheek to cheek. _I would be more than content to spend the rest of forever right here, dancing in his arms._

As I listened to the lyrics of the song my smile grew, they made me think of Ariston.

"I love you." Ariston whispered in my ear placing a lingering kiss on my right temple.

"I love you." I said breathlessly.

He stepped back and spun me, I laughed and then was back in his arms dancing as we were before, only now we were looking into each other's eyes. There was no pain in his eyes, only joy and love. His hand left mine on his chest, reaching up and caressing my cheek so tenderly before he leaned in and kissed my lips, a slow sweet kiss that made me feel like we were flying. It felt like everything was spinning around us, as if Ariston and I were the only things in the world that were real and substantial. It was all I could do to remember that we were not alone. We kissed and danced and kissed for the next hour to Rebecca's beautiful music.

We walked back to our table and I finished the other half of my first glass of wine and Ariston drank another glass, it did not seem to have an affect on him. Ariston offered me another glass and I accepted. However, the wine was beginning to take hold of me as I began to drink a few sips of my second glass. I started giggling.

"I believe the wine has gone to your head my love." Ariston said.

"I think you are right." I said in between giggles. He smiled and shook his head. I did not even finish a quarter of the second glass. "I seem to be a real light weight." I said, giggling again.

"We should be going." Ariston said.

"Alright," I could not seem to stop giggling.

After he paid the bill, we went and got my coat and with Ariston's arm wrapped around my waist I managed to get to the Rolls Royce without stumbling over my own feet. As we sat there in the back seat Ariston looked over to me.

I could feel the wine, _tipsy_ I believe they call it. I felt warm and wonderful, almost glowing. I could smell the same wine on Ariston's breath, mixed with his mint and vanilla scent it was all to tempting. I smiled and leaned up to kiss him.

"I do have one more place I would like to take you if you are up for it." Ariston said softly when our kiss ended.

"I am most definitely up for it." I said, my words slurring slightly, at least I was not giggling quite as much.

A few minutes later the car came to a stop and we got out, it was some kind of park lit only with moonlight. I hurried out and took off my shoes to run barefoot through the grass. I laughed and spun around, I felt like a child again. Ariston watched me with a smile and a shake of his head. _Well, almost like a child. A child would never have the thoughts on her mind that I do when I look at him._

"Dance with me, my love." I said, spinning again.

Suddenly I lost my balance, but before I could fall an inch Ariston was there, holding me in his arms. I smiled, a moment later I wrapped my arms around his neck and leaning up on my tiptoes I kissed him deeply. I held him close, my already hazy mind was dizzied further as he kissed me back.

"Let's make love," I said to him. "Right here, right now. I do not want to wait a moment longer." I kissed him again. Ariston shook his head and laughed a breathless laugh.

"Mera, that is the wine talking." Ariston said, I could hear how breathless he was. "I will not have you when you are like this. It would be taking advantage of you, and that is something I will not do." I pouted.

"You are no fun." I said, feeling oddly irritated.

"Oh my love, you have never been drunk before, have you?" He asked with a chuckle.

"Drunk? I most certainly am not," I started to say when I hiccupped loudly, I covered my mouth. "Am I drunk?"

"Quite." Ariston said, laughing again. "It seems that next time I am going to have to be sure to limit you to one glass with dinner."

"Why aren't you drunk?" I asked, it was annoying me. "You drank more than I did."

"My love, I grew up among the gods. My sister's first husband was a Norse God, they do love their mead. Let's just say that I learned early on how to hold my alcohol." Ariston laughed, clearly reliving a memory. "And besides, mortal alcohol is not potent enough to intoxicate a god."

"That is hardly fair." I said. I leaned up and kissed him, hoping I could persuade him.

"Mera," He said softly while shaking his head. "We should not be doing this."

"And why not?" I asked him. "We are in love, I want you and you cannot tell me that you do not desire me."

"Need I remind you _again_ that you are inebriated?" Ariston asked me.

"And when I am sober?" I asked. "Will you make love to me then?" He smiled softly and caressed my cheek.

"When you are sober, we will talk." Ariston promised. "For now however, the plane awaits us, my Mera." I pouted.

Ariston carefully helped me into the back of the car and we made our way to the airport. When we got out of the car, I stumbled into Ariston when I tried to walk and so he picked me up and carried me onto the plane and laid me down on the couch. Ariston sat on the floor in front of me as he poured a liquid into a cup.

"Drink this or else you are not going to have a pleasant morning tomorrow." Ariston said as he lifted my head gently.

I felt the cup at my lips and I took a sip. The liquid was sweet and felt like silk running down my throat, it warmed me in a comforting way. Ariston caressed my hair as he watched me, I was feeling more sober already.

"What did you give me?" I asked him.

"It is a healing nectar of my brother's brew, it is cleansing your liver and therefore taking you out of your intoxicated state." He explained. "I am sorry that happened, it was not my intention." I smiled to him, placing my hand upon his warm cheek.

"I know it was not." I told him softly. "I know you are a man of honor, and besides, you could have me anytime you want when I am sober, so there is no need to get me drunk." To my surprise, Ariston rolled his eyes and I laughed. Seeing a five thousand year old god roll his eyes is not a sight you see everyday.

"I am glad I found out my limit with you and not someone else." I told him. "Will you hold me my love?" I asked him.

He nodded and I scooted over so that he could lay down on the couch, with me on his chest. He kissed my hair and I sighed in contentment.

"Ariston?" I asked.

"Yes my love?" He replied.

"What happened to Epimetheus and Alexis?" I asked him. "You never finished their story." He was quiet and he held me closer.

"Alexis followed in her mother's footsteps and worked tirelessly to rid the world of evil." Ariston said. "She married, it is from the son she bore that you are alive today. Alexis found out the hard way that she was not immune to the Shadows like her mother was. She was killed three hundred years to the day after her mother and sister, on January 15th.

"As for Epimetheus, long after everyone else gave up and pronounced Pandora dead, he would not end his search. It was only after thousands of years of fruitless searching for his wife, that he finally let her go. Epimetheus remarried a few centuries after that. He truly loves his wife Jasmina, she is his soul mate." Ariston finished as I began to drift off. "Sleep, my Mera." He said softly then kissed my hair with such tenderness.

I drifted off a moment later into a peaceful sleep.

* * *

"Mera," I smiled at the deep silken voice. I opened my eyes and was greeted by sky blue.

"My love." I greeted him.

"We are at your dorm." He said.

I sat up and stretched, realizing that we were in the white limo again. The wine was no longer in my head and to my great relief, I did not have so much as a headache or any of the other unpleasant symptoms of being drunk.

Ariston walked me to my dorm with his arm around me, my head rested on his marble-like shoulder with my arm around his waist. He opened the door to my apartment and we went inside. I turned to Ariston, looking into his eyes.

"Good night my Mera, I love you." Ariston said in a low, tender voice.

"I love you, my Ariston." I told him in the same tone.

He leaned down and gently brushed his lips against mine and held me close in his warm embrace before letting me go. He smiled to me then sighed and walked out the door.


	18. Chapter Sixteen: A Beautiful Morning

**Chapter 16**

**A Beautiful Morning**

**"The best thing to hold onto in life is each other."**

**Audrey Hepburn**

I have not stopped smiling since I woke this morning. Last night was… perfect. Even though I was drunk, thankfully I still remember all of it. Ariston was such a gentleman, such a true and good man.

I hummed the song we danced to last night, 'Bring On The Rain', as I cleaned the stall, then I began singing it.

"Bring on the rain." I sang.

"I want you to myself today." A beautiful, deep voice sang the next words in the song and my heart soared further.

I looked up to see Ariston standing there in the doorway of the stall looking like the god he is. As I looked into his eyes, in my mind I could hear the next verse in the song. '_I've got all the blue sky in your eyes combined, so bring on the rain.'_

I dropped the pitchfork and leapt into his waiting arms and kissed him as we clutched onto each other. He chuckled breathlessly when our kisses ended. I love being able to see in his eyes just how crazy he is about me.

"Mera?" Ariston let me go when we heard Ella's voice._ Does it have to be Ella?_ She turned the corner right after Ariston let me go. Ella stopped short when she saw Ariston.

"Oh, hi Mr. Crete." She said, blushing.

"Hello, Miss Dawson." Ariston greeted her in his courteous tone.

Ella stood there for moment, looking between the two of us while blushing and ogling Ariston, he looked to me and smiled. I rolled my eyes and shook my head.

"Is there something you needed?" I asked Ella.

"I was hoping you could catch some grain bags." She said.

"Sure, I just need to finish the stall." I told her.

"Go ahead, I will finish it." Ariston said. I looked at him and smiled.

"Are you certain?" I asked.

"I am. This is not the first time I have cleaned a stall." He said with a laugh, picking up the pitchfork.

"Thank you." I thanked him and he smiled.

It took everything in me not to kiss him. I placed my hand over his on the pitchfork then walked away with one last look at his smiling face. Ella went to say something but I stopped her by putting my hand up.

"Can you just drop the bags down?" I asked. She sighed.

"Fine." I smiled.

I knew the questions were inevitable, but I wanted to put them off for at least a little while. I was not looking forward to what I knew was coming. The questions, the advice, everyone trying to figure out just what Ariston and I feel for each other. I went through all of that when I began dating Aaron two years ago, and I was not about to let anyone tell me what I should or should not be doing. What Ariston and I choose from here on out is our decision, it has always been our decision. Our relationship has nothing to do with anyone else but us. I was not eighteen as of yet, but in Maine, seventeen is the age of consent, which meant that that was not in our way when Ariston and I do sleep together. The very thought of which made me flush.

Ella climbed the stairs to the second level and went to where the grain bags are stored. As I waited, I felt an all too familiar presence, I knew Ariston was standing behind me. I turned around and saw nothing. I laughed, I could _feel_ the spot on which he stood. I looked right at him even though he was not there.

"I love you." I whispered.

"What was that?" Ella asked from above.

"Nothing." I said as I turned around.

Ella stood at the edge of the opening in the wall eight feet above me and lowered a 50 pound bag of grain into my arms. If we were to drop the bags down from where the grain is stored, the bags would break open and that is a pain to clean up, not to mention a waste of good grain.

"Got it." I said, Ella let go of the bag and it dropped into my arms.

"So you two are like together now?" Ella asked. _And so it begins_, I thought with a shake of my head. I decided I would answer questions, but only to a point.

"Yes, we are." I told her.

"Do you love him?" She asked.

"More than anything." I told her truthfully as she dropped another bag into my arms.

"Is it true he took you out on a date last night? The whole school is talking about it." Ella said as she lowered another bag. _No surprise there._

"Got it," She let the bag drop. "Yes, he did. It was… magical." I smiled as she lowered another one into my arms. "Ariston is an incredible man and I am truly blessed to have him in my life."

"That is so sweet." Ella cooed then dropped the last bag down into my arms. She left the opening and came down the stairs a moment later.

"Ella?" Marge called.

"I have to go, tell me more later?" Ella almost begged.

I sighed and nodded, she squeaked in excitement and walked quickly away. I smiled and shook my head, she has always loved anything to do with love. I turned around and looked at where I knew Ariston still stood.

"I know you are there, my love." I said softly. A laughing Ariston appeared a few feet from me out of thin air, right in the spot I felt him.

"Your senses are expanding." He stated with that beautiful crooked grin.

"Is that another skill of yours, appearing out of thin air?" I asked him, he chuckled.

"It takes training to sneak up on the enemy without a sound." He said.

"Oh, so I am the enemy am I?" I asked playfully.

"You know what I meant." Ariston said with a smile that melted my heart and made my mind loopy. He reached out and gently took my hand. I smiled and we began walking.

"About last night." I said, a bit embarrassed, _I would not have been quite so direct if I had not been drunk._ I looked at him. _Although…_

"It is alright Mera, you were drunk." Ariston said simply. "I am a patient man my love, even though with you it is not easy to be. As I said before, we have time. I would not have you do anything you were not ready for." I turned to him and placed my hand on his cheek.

"You truly are a great man,_ god_ I mean." I said.

I leaned up to place a sweet kiss on his lips and as I quickly became lost in his lips, I realized that I am ready. I know that Ariston is the only man I will ever want, I could never love anyone the way I love him. I want him to be my first and my last. When the kiss ended I smiled and Ariston and I began walking again, hand in hand.

"I cannot believe I got drunk off of one glass of wine." I shook my head. "How pathetic is that?"

"You were very entertaining." Ariston said with a chuckle. I elbowed him in the ribs and immediately regretted it.

"Owe." I said as I clasped my elbow, feeling a bruise coming on. It was like slamming my elbow into a block of stone.

"Are you alright?" Ariston asked, trying not to laugh.

I looked at him and tried with all my might to be angry or at the very least irritated with him, but it was impossible. Ariston laughed, and I found myself starting to be truly irritated with him. Though if I was being honest, it was more to do with the fact that I was irritated, because I could not be irritated with him.

"What, pray tell, is so funny?" I asked.

"That look." Ariston said, still smiling. "When I see it, I am not entirely sure if you are about to smack me or kiss me." _How could anyone hope to stay angry with those eyes and that smile._

"Damn, why is it so difficult to be irritated with you?" I asked him.

"Because you love me." He stated simply. He was right of course. He leaned down to place a soft kiss on my lips, which melted away any irritation that I had built up.

"That is entirely unfair." I half complained breathlessly.

"In that case, I give you full permission to kiss me if I should ever become irritated with you; I am certain it will have the same effect." Ariston said breathlessly and I laughed. "Let me see that arm." He gently took my elbow and placed his hand over it, I felt his warmth flow through me and my heart skipped a beat. Moments later the pain was gone. "Better?" He asked.

"Much." I smiled. "Thank you."

"Loose horse!" Marge yelled.

In one of those blindingly fast movements, Ariston wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me to him, while spinning us out of the way just in time for the horse to charge past where I had been standing.

"Nice reflexes." I said, my hands resting on his chest, my heart beating wildly. _Has anyone so irresistible ever existed?_ I wondered to myself while looking into his eyes.

"Thomas!" Marge ran past us, yelling the horse's name.

I sighed and Ariston let go of me. Thomas is one of the most stubborn horses at Blueridge Stables, he gets it from his owner. I knew he would not come to Marge. As I walked outside I grabbed a can of sweet feed along with the lead line. I walked out to see Thomas still running from Marge, his ears forward. The horse was playing with her.

"Let me get him!" I yelled to her. Marge shot me a 'thank you' look, then walked away.

I walked slowly up to the horse where he was eating grass. I shook the grain in the can and Thomas raised his head at the sound, ears forward. Almost every horse in the world knows that sound, it means _food_.

"Shh, it is alright Thomas," I said softly, holding the lead behind my back so he would not see it. I shook the can again and he slowly started to move towards me. "That's right, come here boy."

I stood still and let him come to me. Holding the can under my arm, I grabbed a handfull of the grain and held it out to him. He ate some, he was still jumpy so I took out another handful and fed it to him.

"That's it, good boy." I said.

I slowly went towards him and stroked his neck, then turned around and wrapped my arm around his nose, I had him then. I put the lead around his neck then quickly made a halter out of the rest of the lead line. I yanked down on the lead line, not brutally but enough to let Thomas know he had done something wrong.

"You fool, if you do not stop these escape attempts you are going to get yourself seriously hurt." I said. The horse looked at me with ears forward, clearly too full of himself to get the point.

Some animals are just not very bright, and it is not usually their fault. This horse is as proud and foolish as his owner, Vance Colwell, and it does not help the situation that Vance only rides Thomas once a month, if that. I sighed and walked the horse back towards the Stables. Ariston was looking at me with such a smile it made me bite my lip.

"You have quite a way with horses." Ariston said.

"I get it from my father." I told him.

"I know. Your father is descended from both Poseidon and Ennina." Ariston said. "Poseidon created the horse, and Ennina tamed them for man to ride." I smiled as we walked Thomas back inside.

"I'll take him, thanks." Marge said to me. I handed the lead over to her and with one last glance between Ariston and I, she walked away with him.

"She knows." Ariston said with a smile.

"The whole school knows by now." I said, turning to him.

"Does that bother you?" He asked.

I shook my head as he took me into his arms, my hands resting on his chest as I looked into those entrancing eyes of his.

"May I give you a ride back to your dorm?" Ariston asked.

"If you like, I still have to make lunch for the horses." I told him.

"I will wait." He said.

He leaned down and kissed me. I leaned into his kiss and wrapped my arms around his neck to make it last longer, I never wanted his lips to leave mine, and Ariston was more than content to keep kissing me.

"I could spend the rest of my life kissing you and not regret a moment of it." I told him when we stopped kissing. He chuckled.

"Sounds like a plan to me" He said, making me laugh before sharing a few more kisses with him.

He let me go with great reluctance and took my hand in his as we walked towards the grain room. As we turned the corner, we came face to face with the girls. I could already hear their questions.

"It seems I should be going." Ariston said. I gave him a look as if to say 'don't you dare.' Ariston chuckled as he kissed my cheek, making me melt. "I will see you shortly, Mera."

"I am going to get you for this." I said under my breath, my lips barely moving, knowing he could hear me. Ariston's smile widened. "Until then, my love." I said, for the girl's sake.

He walked away and I watched him go. I hate how hard it is to stay annoyed with him. I shook my head with a smile and turned to the girls, their looks told me what they wanted.

"This can go one of two ways," Marge stated. "You can either tell us what is going on between you and Mr. Crete, or we can bug you all day until you get so fed up you tell us everything." I smiled, knowing that I could hold out if I wished.

"Alright, I concede. May I at least work as I talk?" I asked, seeing no way around it since Ariston abandoned me to this. They agreed and I went to the grain room with the four of them following me and started on making lunch grain.

"How long has this been going on?" Marge asked.

"I honestly do not know," I told her as I filled a bucket. "We have been drawn to each other since the day we met. I could not give you an exact day I fell in love with him, I cannot remember a time when I did not love him." I smiled, I had to admit that I enjoyed talking about Ariston.

"Has he kissed you?" Heather asked. I blushed, my heart pounding at the thought.

"Yes." Was my simple answer.

"How was it?" She asked. I bit my lip and shook my head.

"Let's just say that the phrase 'I saw fireworks', does not even begin to cover it." I sighed and chuckled. "He is extraordinary in every way, shape and form. I love him with all my soul, same as he loves me. He is the one."

I think they all awed and sighed at once, I laughed under my breath. _That was easier than I thought it would be, _I thought to my relief. I finished making lunch, then got up and washed my hands off as I made my way for the exit.

"I need to be going, I have to shower before school." I said to them, walking out before they could stop me.

I found Ariston with Vrontos in his paddock. Ariston smiled at the sight of me and Vrontos turned his head in my direction. I walked up to them and stroked Vrontos' neck once before kissing Ariston.

"The fireworks truly are something." He said with a smile, I blushed.

"You heard?" I asked. He smiled and nodded.

"I could hear for miles if I chose to." He said.

"You really need to fill me in on your abilities." I said and he laughed. I stroked Vrontos' neck. "Can you communicate with him?" I asked Ariston.

"Yes," Ariston answered. "Animals speak in the language of the mind. It is made up of a mixture of thoughts and feelings and sometimes images. It is communication in its most basic form. We should be going if you do not want to miss school." I nodded and Ariston took my hand as we began our walk.

"About your abilities?" I asked, my curiosity getting the best of me.

"My sight is perfect, I can see details that mortals cannot and also I can see great distances. I can even see colors and details which mortals are blind to." Ariston told me. That amazed me.

"What do they look like?" I asked him, he shook his head.

"I cannot describe it. Could you describe what blue looks like?" He asked.

"A color between green and purple." I answered and Ariston laughed.

"If only it were that simple." Ariston said, then placed his hand on the side of my face. "I can show you."

With that, my mind was flooded with images. There were details and colors to flowers, and grass, and trees and oceans I hadn't imagined existed! When he showed me all of that, the last image I saw was of an incredible, angelic being that radiated a warm light from her very skin... I was stunned to silence to realize this was me, how I looked to him. When he removed his hand and I found myself looking into his eyes again... I was unable to form words and he just smiled to me. The idea of seeing that much detail, every single day, was beyond everything, but not beyond how he made me feel.

"As for my abilities," He began talking again as he held my hand on the way to his car. "I am rather strong, I can lift almost anything and not to mention my speed, as you have witnessed. I can also feel the essence of everything and everyone around me, unless it is shielded."

"What does it feel like?" I asked, now that I could somewhat think again.

"Every essence is unique; each species of plant, tree and animal have their own essence, their own feeling to them." Ariston began. "Humans have a similar essence in a small way, just enough to show that they are from the same species, but beyond that they are their own. Gods have the strongest essences, it is easy to feel them unless they are wearing jade. When you learn the essences you can tell what is what and whom is whom without even looking."

"There must be billions though, how can you remember them all?" I asked him.

"That is another of my gifts, gods have perfect memory. I can remember everything that has happened since the day I was born, and before that I remember my mother's womb." Ariston said.

"Wow, that must be a lot of memories." I said.

"Five thousand and sixty three years worth." He said. I was still struck by that.

"What is it like to live for so long?" I asked, truly curious. He smiled faintly.

"You see many things. I have watched empires rise and fall, seen hundreds of generations be born and die. I have fought in countless wars on the sides of good. My sister Ennina taught me how to fight and also the wisdom to know when not to. War is nothing pretty and killing a man is nothing to treasure, but it has its place, its purpose. Freedom is not free, it is an age old truth that oppressors have to be removed from power. Of course, powerful people tend to forget their own mortality, and how easily it can be ended." He smiled. "Which is why most powerful women and men die in the stupidest of ways, so as to remind others of their own mortality, that the things they do in their lives have consequences upon others as well as themselves." We were silent for a moment as I took his words in.

"Does it ever get old? Do you ever wish to be human, to just live for a hundred years then die and be reborn into a new life?" I asked him. Ariston smiled to me.

"Not since I met you. One life time with you could never be enough." He said, my heart fluttered and my smile grew at the truth in his eyes.

"Dido." I said, he laughed.

Ariston and I walked to his car, he held my door open for me then went around and got in the drivers seat.

"Would you like to ride Vrontos later?" Ariston asked.

"I would love to." I said with a smile.

Ariston and I sang on the car ride and laughed and talked. All the while he held my hand as if it were a sacred treasure, and I knew that to him, it was.

"What is this?" Ariston asked, referring to the inch long scar on my left hand near my thumb.

"Two summers ago I was helping my father clip horses, not all of them liked it." I said. "One mare kept rearing up and so I had to hold her down with the lead line while my father clipped her. He would have gladly left her unclipped, but it was ridiculously hot that summer, and she had a very thick coat that was not going anywhere anytime soon. The mare pulled back hard and the lead line cut into my hand and left this. My father got me out of the way in time before the horse bolted.

"I can take care of it if you wish?" Ariston offered.

"I would like that." I said.

He smiled and his hand glowed. I felt his warmth within me, felt it seep into my pours and closed my eyes, my head lulling back against the headrest. When the warmth stopped I opened my eyes and looked at my hand, the scar was gone. I smiled, it had never bothered me and in all honesty I only had him remove it in order to feel his warmth running through me.

"Thank you, my love." I thanked him.

"You are very welcome." He replied, kissing the hand he healed. Ariston pulled up in front of my dorm and we looked at each other.

"I will see you in class." He said.

I did not want to go inside, I wished I would never have to leave his side again. I leaned over and kissed him, his hand going into my hair. My arms went around him. We ended up kissing passionately for the next few minutes in his car.

"I really should take a shower." I said, breathlessly.

He nodded and kissed me again; _oh how his breath feels as it washes across my lips_. A moment later he reluctantly let me go.

"I love you." I told him.

"I love you." He replied. I kissed him once more, needing to feel his lips again. I smiled and used what little willpower I could muster to get out of the car and walk to my dorm.


	19. Chapter Seventeen: Elianna

**Author's Note: And here is a little surprise for you all! Two chapters in ONE day! Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 17**

**Elianna**

**"Absence from those we love is self from self - a deadly banishment."**

**William Shakespeare**

Ariston was waiting for me when I got out of my last class, standing in the middle of the hallway with his arms crossed and a smile on his lips. I walked out to him, oblivious to the looks we were getting.

"Hello." I said.

"Hello, my love." He said as he kissed my hand then held it, I laced my fingers through his and we began to walk towards the parking lot.

"Do you know how to drive?" Ariston asked.

"Yes I do, my father taught me last summer in his truck. My mother tried to teach me, but every time I stepped slightly on the gas she seemed to have a heart attack." Ariston laughed and I joined in. "I have my permit but not my license. I have not had the money for Drivers Ed so I have been planning to get my license when I turn eighteen. I have been working at the Stables to save up for a car." I told him.

"Would you like to drive my car to the Stables?" Ariston asked. I was amazed once again by him.

"You want me to drive your car? You have never even seen me drive." I said.

"I trust you." He said and held up the keys.

I smiled and took them from him. We were to the car a few minutes later. Ariston held my door open for me then got in the passenger seat. He must have been planning this, the driver's seat and even the mirror were both adjusted to my height. I smiled to him and he smiled at my excitement. I turned the car on and it purred to life.

"This car is smoother and quicker than your father's truck, so be sure to be gentle on the gas and the break." Ariston informed me.

I nodded and looked around to see where everything was before I put it in reverse. I put the smallest amount of pressure on the gas and it went. The car was amazingly smooth, it glided as I pulled out onto the road.

Ariston turned the radio on, completely at ease with my driving as he leaned back in his seat. I did what I could not to look at him, I knew that if I did I might not be able to look away and that would be dangerous. I kept to the speed limit, if it bothered Ariston he did not say so. When I pulled into the parking lot of the Stables, I turned the car off and finally looked at him and smiled.

"I have to say that I LOVE this car." I stated frankly, he chuckled.

"As do I." Ariston said then took my hand, looking into my eyes as he spoke. "Mera, you do not have to work at the Stables any more. I know that you love horses, I also know that it takes a lot out of you to do all this work day in and day out. If you want a car you can have one of mine, or I will buy one for you or have one custom made by Hephaestus if you like."

"Where is this coming from?" I asked, his offer seemed completely out of the blue.

"I have been wanting to talk to you about this for some time." Ariston said. "Mera, let me provide for you, let me take care of the woman I love. By not working here you will be able to sleep in and spend more time with me." I smiled at the thought and Ariston smiled.

His eyes were pleading to me, I saw how much this would mean to him and I was amazed and touched by that truth. I had to admit that the thought of being taken care of by the man I love was an irresistible offer. I love horses, a part of me comes alive when I ride, but taking care of thirty of them day after day was draining me.

"Okay." I said and leaned over and kissed him. "Thank you."

"It is my pleasure." He said, meaning every word before kissing me again.

We once again became lost in our kisses as our baser instincts took over, if it were any cooler outside the windows would have been steamed up. As always, he pulled away from me, much to my disappointment. We got out and I handed the keys to Ariston. He wrapped his arm around my shoulders and I wrapped my arm around his waist as we went to get Vrontos from his stall.

"I will go get changed." I said to him once we had Vrontos on the crossties.

Ariston nodded and leaned down to kiss my lips. My boss, Jenna McCellan, was in the office sitting at her computer when I walked by. Her black hair was held behind her head by a pencil as her gray eyes stared intently at her computer screen. I decided that now was as good a time as any to speak with her.

"Jenna?" I asked.

"Hello Mera." She smiled to me. "How are you?"

"I am doing well." I told her. "I wanted to let you know that I will no longer be working here."

"Is that so?" She asked, truly surprised.

"If you still need help until you find someone else, I can stay on for a while more?" I offered, not wanting to leave her high and dry. She smiled and shook her head.

"It is not a problem," She told me, with a friendly smile. "Thank you for telling me. You are welcome to stop right away. And thank you for the work you have done over the past three years. We will miss you around here." I nodded and returned her smile before leaving her office.

I changed into my jogging bra, activewear tank top and breeches and walked out into the tack room to put my boots on. Ariston was there, zippering up his beautiful boots. Ariston smiled to me then looked at my boots with that strange longing in his eyes again. He looked into my eyes, his eyes pleading.

"You must allow me to buy you new boots, it has been driving me crazy seeing you in those old things when you deserve far better." Ariston almost begged.

"They are good boots." I said.

"I can buy you better." He promised.

"And then I would have to break them in." I said, not looking forward to that.

When you buy a new pair of tall riding boots the leather is stiff and will give you blisters until you break them in, which can take a month or more of use. Breaking in a saddle is even worse from what I hear. Basically anything that is leather has to be broken in with use and applied conditioner.

"No, you will not." Ariston said. "Will you allow me to buy you a new pair if you do not have to break them in?" He asked, I laughed at how intent he was on buying me something new. _He did say that he would be far worse than Margret…_

"Yes, I will." I said. Ariston smiled triumphantly, it was truly a sight to behold.

"What would you like to do on Vrontos today? Dressage? Jumping? Cross-Country?" He asked. I smiled at the thought.

"Cross-Country would be fun." I said.

"Then I will put the studs in." He said with that smile as he picked up the box of studs.

We walked out of the tack room together and to Vrontos. Ariston opened up the box and pick up one of Vrontos' hoofs, cleaning out the small round holes in the horseshoes with a metal tool.

When I was younger I could never understand why horseshoes had small round holes in the metal. I asked my father what their purpose could be and he showed me. They are for different shaped pieces of metal that you screw into the horse's shoes, they provide the horse with traction, like cleats. They are necessary for cross-country jumping since the ground can be slick.

"Mr. Crete?" Ariston and I both turned our heads to see Vance Colwell standing by the tacking stall we were in.

"Yes?" Ariston asked, in a friendly tone.

"I have a few questions about your class today." Vance stated, his over confidence easily apparent.

"Ask away." Ariston said as he continued to put the studs in.

Even a blind man could tell that Vance has a _very_ high opinion of himself, and it does not help that most every girl in school is crazy about him, except for me. Even though he has decent looks with his dark green eyes and brown hair, I have never found myself attracted to him in any way. Vance has asked me out countless times before Aaron and I were together, he thought I was playing hard to get when I turned him down each and every time.

Vance asked Ariston question after question and Ariston answered each one precisely. The few times I took my eyes off of Ariston at work to politely glance up at Vance I found him staring at me, he would smile in his cocky way and I would look away. _Does he really not know that Ariston and I are together? I thought the whole school knew by now._

"What you teach, it sounds more like theory than fact." Vance stated, his eyes still on me though he spoke to Ariston.

"History is written by the victor Mr. Colwell. What is in history books is not always the truth." Ariston stated.

"Who is to say you aren't wrong?" Vance asked in his cocky tone.

I chuckled at the impossibility of that and Ariston glanced at me with a smile before answering Vance.

"Who is to say those history books you refer to are correct?" Ariston asked.

"They were written by professors who have PhD's in history, they know what they are talking about." Vance replied, irritated that he was not winning the conversation that he was clearly trying to turn into an argument. I smiled, _if he only knew to whom he spoke_.

Ariston was still calm as he put studs in the last shoe, not bothered in the least by Vance's attitude.

"That does not mean they are right." Ariston stated. "Those professors work with what knowledge they can find. My family has gathered theses truths I teach over generations. We simply have access to information others do not. I can assure you that what I teach in my classroom is nothing but fact. You do not have to believe me, and if you dislike my class so very much you are more than welcome to no longer attend." Ariston said, his voice kind but true.

I smiled, glancing up to see Vance's face red as he glared at Ariston. I had never seen Vance look so embarrassed, he looked at me and took my smile for interest, returning my smile with a cocky grin.

"How have you been Mera?" He asked, clearly trying to flirt with me. I glanced at Ariston to see the smile leave his face, upset taking its place, before looking back to Vance.

"Very well, thank you for asking." I said with a cool politeness.

"I heard you broke up with that Rockford kid." He said.

"Yes, I did. I am in a relationship now however." I said before he could ask me out.

"Really? With whom?" He asked.

Ariston put down Vrontos' leg and walked over to me with a tender smile and kissed me softly, he made the kiss linger and I was glad he did. I was his and I had no problem with Ariston flaunting that fact, I enjoyed it. I smiled when the kiss ended and we turned to Vance.

"With myself." Ariston answered, pride in his voice as he wrapped his arm around my waist.

I blushed further and smiled up to him as I put an arm around the beautiful god next to me. I turned my attention back to Vance, smiling less, remembering something I wanted to tell him.

"By the way Vance, your horse got loose again this morning." I informed him.

"He has never been well behaved, I do not know why I even keep the beast." Vance said.

"It is not the horses fault." I stated, it has always upset me when owners blame the horse when they do not know how to handle them. "Perhaps if you came to ride him more than once a month, and did not allow him to run all over you, he would not be so badly behaved." I said, Vance flushed in embarrassment. "If you are going to sell Thomas then do so, but if you are going to keep him then you must train him better. I am no longer working here and I will not have these girls harmed because of your lack of interest in that horse." I told him, looking him dead in the eyes. I have always been the protective type.

"If you would excuse us, we must be off." Ariston said, removing Vrontos' halter and taking the rains in his free hand as we walked out of the Stables. "He calls that horse a beast?" Ariston asked with a laugh. "Poorly trained? yes. But a beast? He clearly has never seen a warhorse before. I would love to see what he would make of my sister's horse." I laughed.

"I cannot stand him or the way he treats his horse." I told Ariston. "He thinks he is better than everyone. For gods sake, look at how he talked to you? A son of Zeus." I said, shaking my head. Ariston laughed.

"One of the perils of masquerading as a human I am afraid." Ariston said with a shrug. "You can be no more than mortal and you must stick to the story you created or else they will begin to suspect something's amiss. In the old days, when I was young, it took almost nothing to convince a mortal of your divinity. Now no one believes you. That can be quite fun however. You know what I love doing sometimes?" He asked.

"What?" I asked.

"Talking to a mortal who does not know who I am or even that my kind exist, and every now and then saying something about my being a god and a son of Zeus and telling stories of my family." Ariston said with a huge grin. "No one ever believes me, they just laugh and say something along the lines of 'yeah right.' It can be quite comical. I could give them the secrets of the universe and they would believe I was pulling their leg." He laughed and I joined in, my irritation with Vance forgotten.

"People must think you have lost it." I said and Ariston laughed and kissed my hand that he held.

"Ah yes, but it is so very entertaining." He said with a smile. "And since I can change my shape at will and can look like anyone, they would not even know it was me if they passed me by again."

"You can change your shape?" I asked Ariston in complete surprise.

"Did I leave that out?" He asked, I nodded. "Forgive me. Yes, because we do not have a physical body, we can change our form into anything and can look like anyone. The only thing we cannot copy is another god's appearance and whatever we turn into, we keep the color of our eyes."

"Wow." I said. Ariston wrapped his arm around me and we began walking again as I watched him.

"I love you." I said, I just felt like saying that truth in that moment. Ariston smiled to me.

"I love you." Ariston replied and stopped Vrontos to place a lingering kiss on my lips.

* * *

Cross-Country was exhilarating, Vrontos was beyond amazing. Ariston and I went on a long trail ride after I rode, galloping even faster than we had the last time, faster than any horse should be able to go, it was wonderful. It was dark out by the time we returned to the Stables, Ariston and I were the only ones there as we walked into the aisle.

I kissed Ariston's neck softly and laid my head against his back, breathing in his heady mint and vanilla scent. Ariston helped me off Vrontos and put the majestic stallion on the cross ties. We took care of Vrontos together.

"Ariston?" I asked.

"Yes, my love?" He replied.

"How old is Vrontos?" I had been wondering about that.

"He is fifty years younger than I am, which makes him five thousand and eleven years old." Ariston answered.

"How is he able to live for so long?" I asked.

"His breed lives longer than most, but it is the connection we share that keeps him alive. I am sure you know of the bond that exist between horse and rider," He said. I nodded, knowing it well. "Finding your horse is like finding your soul mate, the bond is that strong. Through that bond Vrontos shares my immortality so that as long as I live, so does he." Ariston smiled to me. "It is different with soul mates however. You will have your own immortality if you should choose to become my wife." I was stunned by the very idea of immortality.

"Truly?" I asked. He smiled and nodded.

"When a god marries a mortal, one of two things happens. If the mortal is the gods soul mate, the one they are meant to be with, then the mortal will be given immortality after the marriage is consummated." Ariston's face changed a bit, his eyes saddening and he began brushing Vrontos again before he continued. "However, if the mortal is not the gods soul mate, then by law it is decreed that the mortal will not be given immortality, and the god will be married to her for her human life and watch her wither and die as he stays the same."

"You are speaking of your wife." It was not a question. He nodded, brushing more quickly.

I walked up to him and put my hand on top of his on the brush and my other hand on his arm. He stopped brushing and sighed before looking to me. I placed my hand on his cheek.

"It is alright my love, I do not mind you speaking of her." I smiled. "Tell me?" He sighed and nodded.

"My wife and sons did not die in a car accident. It was old age that brought about their end some two thousand years ago." He said.

Ariston leaned his back against the wall then slid down to sit, I sat next to him and took his hand in mine. His eyes were far away, thousands of years away, and a small smile lit his lips.

"I will never forget the first time I saw her." Ariston began. "Her parents, nobles of Dion, were making an offering to my father. Father invited me to join him that day, he had been busy as of late and wanted to spend the day with his son. In those days, young and beautiful women would dance before the likeness of my father in praise of him both before and after the sacrifice was made. It was considered a high honor to be one of them.

"Elianna was one of the maids." Ariston laughed. "I stood off to the side next to my father, invisible to all. I could not take my eyes off Elianna, and I could hardly contain my laughter as she stumbled through the steps she had been taught while quite literally tripping over her own feet. When she neared me, she spun and lost her balance and fell right into me. I made myself apparent and caught her. She looked up at me, it was the first time I looked into her eyes. She was so young and embarrassed." He laughed again. "And so very beautiful.

"Before I met Elianna, the only thing I had ever felt for a woman was either a family bond or lust. But when I looked into her eyes, those green eyes captured me in a way I did not know was possible. I fell in love with her right then and there. I courted her and found that I loved her even more for who she was. She had this way about her, this warmth and kindness and light, and a heart capable of so much love and compassion. You both have that in common. Elianna passed that on to Kallisto, along with her face. It was not long before I asked Elianna to be my wife.

"We went to the Moirae, as is custom, to find out if we were soul mates. I had never been more certain of anything than I was of her. She was the one, I was sure of it. I was beyond shocked to find out from them that she was not my soul mate. Elianna and I talked and decided that we would marry.

"Elianna said that she would be honored to be my wife for the rest of her human lifetime. How could I explain to her how short one is? That I did not want her for just one lifetime, that I wanted her always." He shook his head and let out a heavy sigh. "I would have gladly traded my immortality for a mortal lifetime with her, it would have been easier that way." I squeezed his hand and he smiled slightly to me.

"A month after Elianna and I met, we became husband and wife. We were so happy, I treasured every day with her. A year after we wed we had our first son Sophros, two years after that Elijah was born and a year later Solon. There is nothing like having children, it is a difficult task to raise them but well worth it.

"A few days after each of my sons were born we brought them to the Moirae. Each time I prayed they would be immortal, and each time the result was the same." Ariston's sadness was evident in his voice and his eyes. Even after two thousand years these events still weighed on him. "I knew that I could not handle watching another of my children pass when their time came. It was another ten years before Kallisto was born. We named her after Artemis' beloved daughter. I cannot describe my joy when I found out that she would be immortal." He smiled.

"Even as she aged, Elianna never lost her beauty or her spirit. Her silver hair and fine wrinkles made her all the more beautiful in my eyes." Ariston said and took a deep, shaky breath.

"I still remember the day she passed. She had been growing weaker, none of Apollo's medicine could help, it was nature. She had lived for eighty-nine years, seventy-four of those years spent as my wife, which was far longer than mortals were alive in those days. I stayed by her side those last few years, not leaving her unless there was no other choice. I would carry her out to see the ocean and take her different places, but she had little energy left." I could hear the raw emotion in his voice. "She knew when her time was at an end, she asked to see our children and grandchildren. They all came and gathered around our bed where Elianna laid nestled in silk with her silver hair flowing over her shoulders. She told them that she loved them and would some day see them again in Elysium. Then she spoke to Kallisto and I, holding our hands in hers. She told us to take care of each other and that she loved us both dearly and always would, then she sent our children away.

"Her last words she spoke to me as I held her in my arms. 'Be strong my Ariston. You have been a loving and faithful husband to me, and a wonderful father to our children. Do not morn me my love, thanks be to you, I have lived a full and blissful life, filled with such love. We both know this is not my end. I will live on through our children and some day return to the Earth in another form. I hope I have been a good wife to you.' I told her that she had been the most extraordinary wife anyone could ever ask for. She smiled and placed her withered hand on my cheek. 'You will find her someday' she said, 'and when you do, know that I want you to be with her, I want you to be happy, to live on and love again. Do not hold onto me my love, you must let me go.'

"I kissed her lips one last time and told her how much I love her, and that I was thankful to have her as my wife for as long as I did. Then I held her in my arms as she slipped away from me, never to return."

A single tear rolled down Ariston's cheek as he looked unseeing at the ceiling. I knew that one tear was more emotion than he has showed to anyone since she passed. I could hardly breath through my tears. I leaned in and kissed away the tear that had fallen then rested my cheek to his. He put his hand in my hair and I wrapped my arms around him. No words could fit for all he had just shared, I could only imagine how hard it had been for him to tell me that.

"I love you." I whispered over and over again as I held him close, hoping and praying that I was bringing him some peace.

Ariston held me close. After a long while he pulled back to look into my eyes and wiped away my tears.

"Elianna and I built a life together, we raised our children and watched our grandchildren at play. That kind of bond stays with you. You need to know that I will always love her, but that was then, and you are now. Please, know how much I love you Mera." Ariston pleaded, his voice so profound.

"I know how much you love me. I love you." I told him with a smile. He leaned in and kissed me then held me for a while longer.

"You have no idea what your love means to me." He whispered softly into my ear.

A little while later we got up and finished taking care of Vrontos, the horse was amazingly patient. After we put him back in his stall, we changed into our other clothing and went back into the aisle of the Stables.

Ariston looked at me and I smiled, he leaned down as I leaned up to reach his lips, our arms wrapping around each other. Just like those other times our lips have met, the kiss turned from sugar to fire quickly. My back was against the wall, his hands on me and mine on him. Ariston's hand slid under my shirt on my flat stomach then went around to my back to hold my body closer to his. The feeling of his hand on my bare skin… I smiled through our dizzying kisses. I wondered how much longer Ariston could hold out. If our actions were any indication, it would not be much longer, I could feel how his body hungered for mine. He was kissing my neck when I heard the angriest sound I have ever heard.

"Get your hands off my girlfriend!" The all too familiar voice screamed in rage.

Ariston and I turned to see Aaron stocking towards us, I have never seen him so angry before. This was not just anger, it was pure rage and hatred that radiated off of him as he kept his eyes fixed on Ariston with a murderous look. Ariston quickly moved me behind him and away from the wall.

"Aaron, do not." I warned him.

Aaron may be the quarterback of Blueridge Prep, but Ariston is a god who was trained to fight by the Goddess of War and Strategy herself. I saw him fight those Shadows. I knew full well what would happen if it came down to a fight, and no part of me wanted Aaron to get hurt.

Ariston pushed me away from him and towards the wall just as Aaron charged, like a bull, towards Ariston. Ariston quickly moved out of the way. Aaron spun around and tried to punch Ariston again and again, every now and then trying for a kick. But for all his tries, Aaron never laid a hand on Ariston, not once. Ariston either redirected every blow with ease and accuracy or moved out of the way so that the punch or kick went right past him, throwing Aaron off balance.

Ariston's face was a mask, no emotion showing, while Aaron's was screwed up in fury. Ariston did not aim even one blow at Aaron, never once did he try to hit him, which I was thankful for. Aaron did not seem to tire out, he only became angrier that he was not landing a single punch. Ariston blocked a punch and pushed Aaron away from him with the palm of his hand to his chest, Aaron stumbled back ten feet.

I hoped that would have stopped Aaron, but the fool came at Ariston again, trying to hit him in any way possible but still never succeeding. Aaron started to move Ariston back towards the wall with his attacks, or so it seemed. I knew that Ariston would only be going in that direction if he wished it.

When Ariston was near the wall, Aaron aimed a punch right at Ariston's head. Ariston moved out of the way at the very last moment and Aaron screamed out in pain as his fist collided with the oak wall with a sickening crunch. Ariston moved away to the middle of the aisle, facing Aaron.

"Aaron, stop." Ariston said, his voice a deadly calm.

_ Listen to him, please Aaron, I do not want you to be harmed any further._ I begged him in my mind. I knew full well that Ariston could kill Aaron with ease and though I doubted Ariston would purposely do such a thing, I knew that accidents happen in fights.

Aaron turned around, still fuming in rage. His hurt hand hung limp by his side, blood dropped off his fingertips but Aaron did not seem to notice. _I cannot take any more of this, Aaron is going to get himself killed._ Ariston glanced at me for a moment before his eyes returned to Aaron. As Aaron started to pace forward again, I felt something bubbling within me, like a tempest.

"Stop this!" I called out, my voice was far deeper and louder than it has ever been. It seemed to hold a storm with it. "ENOUGH!"

Aaron stopped dead in his tracks and looked at me with shock, completely taken aback. I saw the ghost of a smile on Ariston's lips for a moment before the mask returned. I walked in between the two of them and looked at Aaron.

"Just what in the hell do you think you are doing?" I asked, the same tone in my voice.

"He had his hands on you!" Aaron yelled.

"I want his hands on me!" I yelled back, which did not make things better.

"Do you really think this guy cares about you! He is just using you! For crying out loud, are really so stupid that you cannot see that!" Aaron yelled at me.

"You will not speak to her in that manner." Ariston growled, putting himself in between Aaron and I.

I knew Ariston would defend my honor, and I knew what that could mean. The storm left me like that, I needed to calm Ariston. I reached my hand around Ariston and placed it on his chest, leaning my head against his back. I felt him relax slightly at my touch.

"Please, my Ariston, he is not in his right mind. I know how easily you can harm him, please, do not." I begged him in a low voice that only he could hear. Ariston sighed deeply and turned around.

"As you wish." Ariston said. I smiled a thank you and walked around Ariston to see Aaron. He was still fuming.

"Ariston, I need to speak to Aaron, alone." I said, turning back to Ariston.

"I am not leaving you with him, not in the state he is in." Ariston said.

"You think I would hurt her?" Aaron asked in outrage.

"Enough!" I said, my voice deep again. I took a deep breath to steady myself then walked to stand before Ariston. "Ariston," I said, he took his eyes off of Aaron and looked into mine. "He will not harm me. I need to speak with him and your presence is not exactly calming him. He should not have found out like this." I said the last part in a lower voice, pleading with my eyes for Ariston to understand. Ariston placed his hand on my arm, his eyes were serious.

"I will be right outside if you need me, I can be here in a moment." He said.

I nodded and gave a soft smile, which he returned then he looked over my head at Aaron with a deadly look, a warning. Ariston sighed and kissed my forehead softly before walking away. I turned to Aaron, he was shaking with rage.

"I knew this was about him." Aaron stated, struggling not to yell. "We have been together for two years and you threw it all away because of him."

"Aaron, I am not your girlfriend anymore." I said calmly, even though I was very upset by his behavior. "I ended our relationship not because of Ariston, but because it had not felt right for a long time. Something was missing. I said nothing to you because I did not want to hurt you, because I loved you." I looked at his hand, still dripping blood and sighed. "Let me see that."

I walked up to him and he gave me a stubborn look, I raised an eyebrow in a challenge and Aaron sighed and lifted his hand. I took it gently. I could tell from the looks of it that it was broken, the bones out of place. _This is beyond my knowledge, but perhaps..._

"You are going to need Ariston to fix this." I said.

"No way in hell." Aaron said. I rolled my eyes.

"It will heal wrong if I do not fix it soon." I turned at the sound of Ariston's voice.

"Bones take weeks to heal, I have the time to go to a doctor." Aaron said. Ariston shook his head.

"If you wait until then they will have to rebreak your bones instead of simply having me align them. You have always been a fast healer, haven't you?" Ariston said, something in his tone implied that he knew something more than he was saying. I looked at Aaron, there was something in his eyes as well, a recognition that I could not comprehend.

"Why should I trust you?" Aaron asked him, his voice calmer. Ariston laughed and shook his head, the mask gone.

"I was not the one who attacked you, remember?" Ariston asked. "I harbor no ill will against you, Aaron, I understand why you did what you did. I wanted to rip your head off when I saw you kiss her." I thought back to the day we met and the look of outrage in Ariston's eyes when Aaron kissed me a long goodbye. Aaron was still not convinced; Ariston sighed then laughed again. "My brother is the greatest doctor who has ever lived, he has taught me well." Ariston stated. "If you want use of that hand anytime soon, you are going to have to allow me to set the bones properly."

"Fine." Aaron said.

"Have a seat, I will get my things." Ariston said. He smiled to me once and I returned his smile before he walked away.

Aaron sat down on a fold-up chair and I sat on the one next to him. We sat in silence for a few moments, just looking at each other, before he spoke.

"I hoped that it was all just a rumor, the two of you being together I mean." Aaron said.

"Like my dating Clark?" I asked, speaking of a rumor the boy in question started.

"And Norm, and Vance, and Walter to name a few." Aaron said.

"Hmm, it seems I do get around." I said, Aaron chuckled. I was glad to hear the sound, it brought back memories. He looked at me, I knew the longing in his eyes.

"Jack told me... but I did not want to believe him." Aaron told me. I did not know what to say to that, I looked at him, wishing there were some way I could ease his pain and bring him peace. "I miss you." Aaron said. "I miss being with you, making you laugh at my lame jokes, kissing you. I want you back. Whatever I did wrong, I will fix it. I will do anything you ask, just please..." He pleaded with me. I sighed.

"It was never about you Aaron." I told him.

"It's not you, it's me? Really? After two years together and another year of friendship _that_ is what you are going to give me?" Aaron asked.

"Why can you not understand?" I said to him. "You can choose whom you are with, but not who you love. I have no control over my love for Ariston. You and I had our time together, for a time, I was yours and I will always treasure the time we spent together, but that is done now. You told me that if I found someone who made me happy, I should be with him." I reminded him.

"But I did not mean him." Aaron said, hurt apparent in his voice, his eyes still pleading.

"Would it feel any different if it were someone else you saw me kissing?" I asked, Aaron looked away from me and I sighed. "This is not about Ariston, this is about you not wanting me to be with someone else. Aaron, we are not going to be together again. I want you in my life, but not if this is how you are going to treat the man I love." I said to him.

"How can you be in love with him?" Aaron asked, shaking his head, clearly not able to wrap his mind around this fact.

"I honestly do not know _how_, I felt something for him the moment I saw him, there was no helping it." I told him with a smile. "I tried not to love him, not to care, for you on some level I tried. Because I loved you and I did not want to hurt you. But I cannot deny what I feel for him, I love him and I know that he loves me, I feel it, I can see it. Ariston is a great man, he is kind and strong and warm and wonderful. Would you rather I was dating some jackass who only wants me for my body?" I asked him.

Aaron was silent for a moment looking into my eyes. He opened his lips to say something, but no words came out. I knew well enough that he was going to say 'I love you.'

"I know." I told him in a low voice, I took Aaron's unhurt hand in mine. "Ariston is what I want, he is what I need. Please, if you love me, try and understand that." I said in a soft voice, my eyes pleading. His eyes were still stubborn. "You said that you would not hurt me anymore by holding onto us, but you are doing that right now." Aaron's eyes grew softer after my words.

"I'm sorry." Aaron sighed and shook his head. "When I saw him… touching you like that." He shook his head, a dark expression on his face.

"We did not mean for you to find out this way. I would have told you, but I have seen little of you since we broke up." I told him. Aaron looked at me and sighed again, not being able to find the words.

"Are you ready?" Ariston asked from behind us, I smiled and looked to him.

"As ready as I will ever be." Aaron said, his voice dejected.

Ariston brought a seat over and sat down in front of Aaron. He had a black bag with him, bigger than the kit he used when I was wounded in my fight with the mugger. I smiled, _a black bag, how appropriate_. Ariston opened the bag and took out a glass bottle and cup, then poured a few tablespoons of a liquid into the cup and handed it to Aaron.

"Drink this, it will help with the pain." Ariston told him.

Aaron stared at the liquid in the cup with a look of apprehension on his face. I almost laughed at the memories it conjured up. Every time he became ill I would always be there to nurse him, I always knew that if I was ever sick he would do the same for me. Aaron is like a small child when it comes to taking medicine. Good thing they make Nyquil and Dayquil in caplets. Aaron looked at me and I could tell he was thinking of the same thing.

"Must I hold your nose?" I asked, crossing my arms.

Aaron cracked a sarcastic smile and rolled his eyes at me, then took a deep breath, prepared for the worst, and drank it in a shot. He was clearly surprised at the taste.

"Not that bad, was it?" I asked and Aaron half smiled to me.

Ariston took out another bottle, a bigger one, out of his bag. He took Aaron's hand gently and poured the liquid over his wound, it began to bubble, like peroxide on an infection. When it stopped, Ariston looked at the bones again.

"How is football?" Ariston asked. "You are the quarterback I hear?"

"I am," Aaron said, trying not to look at the wound. "We have a big game next month and," Aaron sucked in a breath as Ariston quickly put the bones back in place.

Ariston put a splint on the hand and wrapped it with speed and precession, taping it off and looking over his work for flaws. He smiled, clearly pleased with his work.

"Done." Ariston said with a friendly smile. He took another bottle of liquid, poured it in a cup and handed it to Aaron.

"What's this?" Aaron asked.

"It will speed the healing process." Ariston told him. Aaron was less hesitant this time, he drank it willingly. "I would suggest you not use that hand in any way for a week, it will be well and healed by then." Ariston said.

"In other words," I said and Aaron looked at me. "Try not to punch any walls for a while." Aaron rolled his eyes again and I had to laugh once.

"Thanks." Aaron mumbled, not looking at Ariston.

"You are welcome." Ariston replied. "I can look at that hand again if it gives you any trouble. Do you need a ride back to your dorm?"

"No, I got it." Aaron told him, Ariston nodded and rose from his seat.

"I will be in my car." Ariston said to me.

I nodded, Ariston leaned down and placed a sweet kiss on my lips, then walked out of the Stables. I watched him for a moment before turning back to Aaron, where he still sat on the chair.

"Why did you come tonight?" I asked him, Aaron has never been one for horses.

"I still have our tickets to prom, I didn't know if you still wanted to go with me or if I should find someone else to go with." Aaron answered. "I suppose I know the answer now." I smiled softly.

"I cannot wait for you to find your love, to find the woman you will love as much as I love Ariston." I told him, my voice kind.

"I already have, but she is in love with someone else." Aaron said, looking up at me. I shook my head with a small smile on my lips.

"You are wrong, I am not your destiny Aaron. One day, you will understand that." I told him.

Surely such happiness cannot only be meant for me, surely Aaron has a soul mate, he must. As Ariston once told me, souls are born in pairs.

"If you say so." Aaron said, clearly not believing me.

"I do. When am I ever wrong?" I asked, Aaron cracked a smile then shook his head.

"I knew he meant something to you, from the first day I knew." Aaron said, that look in his eyes.

"How so?" I asked.

"You drew him," Aaron said simply. "You only draw people and things that capture you." I smiled at how well he knows me.

"So that is why you made such a big fussfus over it." I said, Aaron nodded.

"I tried not to, but you know me." Aaron said with a shrug.

"Protective?" I asked, he laughed once.

"Jealous." He said. "Only this time I had a good reason to be." He looked at me and shook his head. "Life isn't the same without you, you know."

"You do not have to be without me Aaron, we can still be friends, good friends, as we used to be." I said.

"I would like that." Aaron said. I smiled and sighed.

"I will see you in school." I said, turning around and walking out of the Stables. I got into Ariston's car, looking upon his beautiful face soothed me more than I could say.

"Are you alright?" Ariston asked, taking my hand in his, lacing his fingers through mine.

I nodded and laid my head on his shoulder with a sigh. Ariston rested his head on mine. I realized then that there is nothing I cannot face so long as I have his arms to run into. I smiled at the thought.

"Ariston? Would you stay with me for a while tonight? I need to be with you." I asked him.

"Of course." He said, kissing my hair. "I love you." I smiled.

"I love you, Ariston." I said.

The drive was quiet and peaceful, Ariston kept the music off. He parked and walked me into my dorm, my head was still resting on his shoulder, and his arm was around me. We went inside my apartment and sat on the couch and I curled up into his side. Margret must be at Jack's, the place was empty.

"Thank you for not hurting Aaron tonight." I said to Ariston.

"He broke his hand." Ariston reminded me.

"That was his own doing, not yours." I told him. I looked at him, this beautiful tortured soul, and he smiled down to me. I placed my hand on his cheek, loving the warmth and the feeling of his skin.

"Are you certain I am the one you want?" Ariston asked.

"Do you really need to ask? Have I not already proclaimed my love for you?" I asked him with a smile.

"Your love seems to good to be true. It would be easier for me if you would tell me now if this will turn out badly." He said. I felt sadness within me. Sadness that what he has been through would make him question this happiness. "The last woman I was so certain of..." I stopped him there, knowing this was different, even Elianna herself had said as much.

"Ariston, you are the one I want, always. I love you, you and only you. What must I do to prove that to you?" I asked. He sighed and smiled.

"I am not worthy of you." He stated as he caressed my arms in a tender but all to distracting manner. I laughed.

"I hardly feel worthy of you either my love, but I do not love you any less for it. I want to be with you forever." I told Ariston in all honesty.

"Forever is a long time my love," He told me with a smile. "I have lived for over five thousand years and I am no where near forever."

"Then how about we try for five thousand years, and then work our way from there?" I offered, he laughed.

"Agreed." Ariston kissed me. "I truly do love you my Mera, with all my soul I swear it."

"This I know." I said, cuddling into his arms, my head on his chest.

"May I hold you tonight?" Ariston asked.

"I was hoping you would." I hoped he could hear the smile in my voice.

We sat there for a few minutes more before getting up. I took a shower and he went quickly to his house to do the same. When I was finished and dressed in a tee-shirt and sleeping shorts, I went into my room to see Ariston sitting on my bed, shirtless but in sleeping pants. He made for quite a sight. He smiled to me and I returned the smile by instinct. I climbed into his arms in my bed, laying on his bare chest. It felt so wonderful, so right to be there with him, his mint and vanilla scent surrounding me.

I sighed in contentment. _Life cannot get much better than this, it is simply not possible._ After whispering "I love you" to each other once more, I fell into a beautiful sleep.


	20. Chapter Eighteen: A Night To Remember!

**Author's Note: THREE, that's right, THREE CHAPTERS IN ONE NIGHT! Woohoo! Enjoy my friends!**

**For a bit of a warning, this chapter gets... steamy at the end.**

* * *

**Chapter 18**

**A Night To Remember**

**"Rippling, rippling, rippling, like a flapping overlapping of soft flames, as soft as feathers, running to points of brilliance, exquisite, exquisite and melting her all molten inside."**

**D.H. Lawrence**

I awakened in Ariston's arms, I could hardly wait to see his face. The first thing I saw when I opened my eyes was the cinnamon skin that covered the muscles on his chest. Needless to say, my heart started beating faster.

"Good morning, my love." Ariston greeted me, his voice so tender. I smiled up to Ariston, meeting his ancient eyes in wonder.

"Good morning to you as well, my love." I said to him. "You are always up before me."

"Gods do not require as much sleep as mortals do. Three or four hours and we are fully rested." He told me.

"That would be wonderful, sleeping less, being able to get more done." I said and smiled.

"How did you sleep?" Ariston asked.

"Peacefully. And you?" I asked.

"The same." He said. I raised myself up on my elbow, my golden hair falling over my right shoulder as I looked at him. He raised his hand and caressed my cheek.

"You are beautiful, do you know that?" He asked with such wonder in his voice.

"You took the words right out of my mouth, my handsome love." I said and he laughed.

"It comes with being a god." Ariston told me and I shook my head.

"It is not just your godly beauty, it is your soul, it is who you are that I find so beautiful." I told him.

"Now you stole my words." He said, and we laughed.

I leaned down to kissed him. He pulled me to him and I laughed as he kissed me again. Our kisses soon became deeper, more passionate, his arm wrapping around my waist as my hands went into his hair to deepen the kisses. Things became wonderfully intense from there, with a moan he rolled on top of me as we felt each other's bodies. My leg wrapped around his waist to hold his body even closer to mine, as his hand traveled up underneath my shirt to take my breast into his hand for the first time. I gasp at such a feeling, Ariston kissed down my neck and my body arched against his as a moan escaped my lips, his fingers teasing my flesh in a way that made another moan come. One of my arms went around his back to hold him to me as my other hand still gripped his hair. Ariston's lips returned to mine, he was driving me wild until he stopped and pulled away to hover above me. Our breathing was ragged, his muscles strained in an attempt to control himself.

"You do not have to stop." I said breathlessly as I ran my hand down his bare, granite-like chest, wanting with all my being for him to continue.

"This time, I do." He said, then rolled off of me and to my side.

I laid there for a moment, trying to get my breathing and heart rate back under control, while Ariston tried to get... other things calmed. When it was somewhat reasonable I turned on my side. Ariston turned so that our bodies were flush to one another's and I took his hand in mine as we looked into each other's eyes.

"I hate it when you stop." I told him.

"So do I." Ariston said, then smiled with a look in his eyes. "Someday, I will not stop. Are you ready for that?" He asked. A blush covered my cheeks.

"Yes, I am." I told him. I did not even have to think about it, I was ready, that much I knew. He smiled and took a deep breath before laughing breathlessly.

"I will keep that in mind." He said with such a look in his eyes, it brought such feelings forth within me. I kissed him, hoping to persuade him.

"Not now." He said in a way that sounded like 'please don't stop' as he held my body to his, my hand gripping his shoulder.

"Why not?" I asked, kissing him again.

"You have school?" Ariston's words came out in a question. I chuckled once.

"Is that the best you can come up with?" I asked. He ran his hand down my arm.

"Believe me Mera, you have no idea how badly I want you." He said. "Every time I am near you, each time I kiss you everything within me screams not to stop." He looked into my eyes, his eyes resolute. "I am going to do right by you Mera, you are worth waiting for." I was so touched by his words, by his honor. I smiled.

"I love you." I told him.

"I love you, my Mera." He said.

We just looked at each other in silence for a time, no conversation was necessary, just being with him was enough.

"I wish I did not have to go to school this morning." I said a while later. "I want nothing more than to be with you. I miss you when we are apart, even only for a few minutes." I told him. He laughed, I could almost swear he looked slightly embarrassed.

"Mera, I am with you far more than you know." Ariston informed me with a smile. "As I have said before, being with you brings me to life and makes me whole. When I am not teaching or visiting with my family, I am with you. Even though you do not see me, I am almost always there by your side. Though I do make certain to give you privacy if you are... indecent." He said. I smiled and blushed even though I liked the thought of him seeing me naked, and it meant more to me than I could say that for most of the time, he is with me. _It must be more than that though, I feel him with me, not just part of the time but always._

"You have no idea how hard it was for me to stay hidden after your last date with Aaron, and the week after you ended your relationship." Ariston shook his head. "I wanted so _badly_ to hold you, to comfort you and tell you that everything would be alright, that I was there for you. I dared not even have a conversation with you, I knew that one thing would lead to another, I knew how easily we would end up in each others arms, and I could not bare to rush into this only to lose you because we took a step you were not ready for. I am thankful for Margret, it was only because of her that I had the strength to give you the space you needed." I smiled and looked down at his hand that held mine.

I knew he was right, I had no doubt that if we had been alone for long enough during that week we would have made love. But I could not imagine regretting it. I am surprised enough that we have not made love yet, I do not know where he finds the will to stop when we are holding onto each other.

"It is hardly fair, you get to see me, but I do not get to see you." I told him a time later.

"I would show myself to only you, but I fear I may distract you." Ariston said, I could hear the smile in his voice, and when I looked to him it was there upon his glorious face.

"Ah, but what a distraction you would be." I smiled and he laughed. "Tell me about you." I said.

"What would you like to know?" Ariston asked.

"Everything." I said. "I want to know every detail of your life, everything that made you who you are." He laughed.

"That could take years." He said

"I am content to lay here with you for the next few years hearing your story." I said, and he smiled.

"Where would you like me to begin?" He asked.

"At the beginning." I said.

"I was born from one of my fathers many affairs." Ariston said. "My mother was a Princess of Thera, what is now known as Santorini, her name was Demetria. She was the only child of King Athanious and Queen Gianni. My father saw her in the forest and fell in love, or fell in lust I should say, with my mother and you can imagine what happened next. Two months later my mother realized she was pregnant with me."

"So your father appeared to your mother and… took her?" I asked.

"It was not like that." Ariston said quickly, although he did not seem angry with me for wondering. "My father would never take a woman by force, he sees it as a sign of great weakness and cowardice.

"When I was a young man, my father told me that there is no glory and certainly no honor in taking a woman against her will. The glory is in the seduction, in having the ability and skill to persuade a woman to want to be with you. And if you cannot woo her, then you are not worthy of her." Ariston explained and I smiled.

"So why all the stories?" I asked.

"What else were those women to tell their fathers and in some cases their husbands? In those days they would have been beaten or worse if they had said that they had willingly made love to another man." I could see his distaste for such treatment of women.

"That makes sense." I said.

"No matter what they say of him, he is a great father, a great god and a great king. My father has always been there when I have had need of him, he is like that with all his children." It was easy to see the love and respect he holds for his father.

"Back to the story at hand." Ariston said. "When my mother realized she was pregnant, she knew that Zeus was my father, he was the only man she had ever been with. She also knew that he was married and did not want to cause trouble for him. She kept her pregnancy quiet for as long as she could, she did not even pray to my father to tell him she was carrying his child. When she started to show, my grandparents knew and were outraged since she was unmarried. They demanded to know who the father of the child was, but she would not tell them. Not knowing what else to do, they dragged my mother along to an oracle to find out who my father was so they could punish him.

"Apollo heard their prayers and went to my mother in the guise of an old man. Once he felt me growing within her and knew that we were brothers, he called to my father to tell him." Ariston smiled with such love in his eyes. "Zeus appeared before my mother and her parents in his true form and claimed me as his own."

"My mother told me the story a thousand times. My father took her aside and asked her 'Why did you not tell me you are with child?' and she replied 'You are the King of the Gods, I did not want to burden you with this.' My father smiled to her and placed his hand over where I grew and said 'This is not a burden, this is my child.' He went to his knees before her and kissed her womb." I could see how much this meant to Ariston, I could see his total love and admiration for his father. "He told my mother that he could not be with her, but that he would care for her and raise me with her. He said that I would want for nothing.

"When my grandparents found out that their daughter was carrying the child of Zeus, they changed their tune and were suddenly overjoyed at the pregnancy. They apologized to my father and congratulated him. They promised that my mother and myself would have every comfort and that someday, since my mother was an only child, I would be king. My father looked at my mother and saw her unhappiness, he knew that she wanted nothing to do with her parents and that she felt that she had no choice.

"After speaking with my mother in private, my father told my grandparents that he would not have me raised in their home. He had a house built for my mother and myself in the forest of Thera with a view of the ocean and set nymphs to attend to our every need."

"While my friends were off riding their horses, I was being groomed to be a king. The only time I got to be a boy was when I was visited my father on Olympus." Ariston explained. "My father, he was there every moment he could be... but it was not what I wanted. I wanted my father to live with mother and I. I saw how my mother would light up every time he would visit and she told me that she loved him. I was too young to understand what it takes to be King, and so I became very rebellious during my teenaged years and would barely listen to my mother, knowing that if I was stubborn enough, she would call to my father and he would come to help her. It came to happen that I ended up burning one of my friends families barn down, do not ask me how, I was too drunk to remember.

"Watching how my mother cried, wondering what she had done wrong in raising me..." Ariston shook his head, guilt clear on his face. "I tried to tell her it was my fault, that she had done nothing wrong, but she could not hear it. My father... it hurt more than I could say, to see the disappointment in his eyes and how I had broken his heart with my carelessness. I was confined to my room, and during that time my parents had a long conversation which I could barely hear. He said that he was sorry I acted the way I did, to which my mother kindly said, 'He misses his father, we both do.' After their conversation, my parents came to talk to me since they chose what to do with me.

"For the next two years, my duty was to clean the Olympian stables, and for that time, I would be living with himself and my stepmother, Hera. I did not argue. Once I packed my things and kissed my mother's cheek, only to be taking into a tight hug by her, telling me how much she loved me. Hera was kind to me and though I had only met her a handful of times I was welcomed in her and my fathers home. It was a completely different experience, being with my father that much, seeing him every morning before I left for work in the stables. To be honest, I loathed the dirty work and thought it beneath a son of Zeus and a crown prince. My father told me I was not only a king, I was a man and I had to remember that, if I were to be a kind, compassionate and trustworthy leader of my people. Those were the happiest years during my young life, especially when father would bring my mother to visit." Ariston was quite for a time before he spoke again. "One cold winter day when I was twenty-four, my father appeared. He told me that my grandfather, King Athanious died in his sleep and that I was now King of Thera."

"You were a king?" I asked in amazement.

"I was." Ariston said. "My father gave me a parting gift, twin adamantine swords engraved with lightning bolts. Ennina and Cronus went with me to the palace and left their duties to their children. I called them Nina and Orin in public, they were my advisors. My mother also went with me."

"Even though I had skipped many lessons in favor of the company of the nymphs, I ruled well." Ariston said. "Five months into my first year as king, a powerful emperor from the mainland's sailed with a fleet of three thousand ships to my island. I knew his purpose was intimidation, he would not have needed even half that number to crush my little kingdom. At my sister's council, I welcomed him to my island and prepared a feast in his honor. He was a short man with a big gut who wore more gold than I had in my entire kingdom. He brought his widowed daughter, Princess Shaena, with him. Shaena was twenty-two years old and beautiful, with raven hair and tan skin. I disliked the woman the moment I laid eyes on her, she was controlling, manipulative and demanding. Her two small daughters however," Ariston smiled. "I found adorable."

"Emperor Terello was the kind of man who disliked games, he stated simply what he wanted. He gave me a choice, I could either marry his daughter or he would conquer my island by sunset. He said that he was only giving me the offer because I was a son of Zeus and he dared not anger the King of the Gods. Like my mother, Shaena was an only child and with only two daughters, her father needed her to have a husband and a son that he could pass his lands onto." Ariston said, with not a trace of smile on his face.

"So you married her?" I asked.

"I had no other choice." He said. "Once I agreed, King Terello had us married right then and there, not wanting to wait, and stayed to make certain the marriage was consummated. That night was more dutiful than passionate for the both of us, there was simply no attraction between us since she knew I saw her for what she was. When we finished she got up then she said, 'I hope you have given me a son, I will come to your bed again tomorrow night just to be sure.'

"A year later our son Cristo was born." Ariston smiled. "I was thankful he looked so much like me. Shaena and I's relationship was better after that, but we still did not love each other. I loved her daughters as much as I did my son, and I did everything I could to keep them away from their mother's controlling grasp. Shaena no longer visited my bed after Cristo was born and I never went to hers. Ennina and Cronus liked her even less than I did, and my mother? She loathed the woman." He shook his head.

"Couldn't you just have divorced her?" I asked.

"I did not dare." Ariston said. "Shaena had her father wrapped around her finger, she told me time and time again that if I should even consider divorcing her, she would have my island burned to the ground. She could only become queen if I were to stay married to her, if I did not, then our son would become king before she had the chance to rule. So I accepted my fate, that I would live in a loveless marriage to keep my people safe. I let her control the household, it kept her out of my hair. The only things I would not allow her to control were my people and my children. Even though Agatha and Chloe were Shaena's daughters from her first marriage, I considered them my own and raised them as such."

"Sex became my only escape. All too often I would either leave my palace for the abode of the nymphs, or choose a willing woman within my domain. Shaena cared not who was in my bed, and I did not care in the least who visited hers. We went on like this for the next thirty years.

"I died when I was fifty-six years old," Ariston said. "A neighboring island wanted to expand and tried to invade. We were out numbered and had no time to call for help from my father-in-law, but we had the gods on our side. Even with the storms my uncle sent by sea, hundreds of ships still made it to shore and I prepared my people for battle. Before I left for battle I told Shaena that when I returned our marriage would be over, that I would divorce her and send her away. Shaena vowed that I would regret my words."

"I fought off the invaders along with my army and saved my island at the cost of my own life. To this day, I do not know if the arrow that killed me was from the enemy or one of Shaena's men." Ariston said. "When my vessel died, I ascended and became an immortal and within a few years earned the title of god."

"My son did something I never dared to, he sent his mother away, keeping his sisters with him." Ariston said with such pride in his voice. "When his grandfather King Terello died, Cristo became king of what was the largest empire on Earth in those days. He married well, he truly loved his wife Alitheia, they had many beautiful children together and I was beyond grateful that he was happy. He was a great king, I watched over him every day of his life. My Descendants were kings and queens for a thousand years until they were overthrown by what would become the Persian Empire."

I shook my head, still astonished at the story I had just heard, and placed my hand on Ariston's cheek. I looked into his eyes and knew that my mission in life would be to make him happy. I kissed his lips.

"It was all worth it to be with you." Ariston told me and I smiled. Him saying that everything that has happened in his existence was all worth it just to be with me, spoke magnitudes of his love for me.

"What happened after that?" I asked.

"I watched over my line for many, many years and did my duties as a god. I enjoyed life, I enjoyed being free from Shaena." Ariston told me. "Some of my siblings would suggest from time to time that I find a new wife, I would always say no. Why would I want to risk being trapped like that again? I saw that marriage worked for others, but for nearly three millennia I was against the idea, until I met Elianna." Ariston smiled. "With her I knew that I would never be trapped, I wanted to be with her and have a life with her more than anything. I think of Elianna as my first wife, what I had with Shaena... that was not a marriage. She is a part of my past that I have left behind me, and I would rather you not mention her." I nodded.

"Gladly." I said to him. "After what that woman put you through I never wish to speak of her again." Ariston smiled.

"I have let go of that past, of her. Elianna helped me move forward with my life, she showed me what love is." Ariston told me. He looked into my eyes and his tender smile grew. "And now I have you. I love you, my Mera."

"I love you, my Ariston." I said and kissed him. "Tell me more?" I asked, he smiled and nodded. For the next hour he told stories from his life, I enjoyed every moment of it.

"Who was the first girl you kissed?" I asked, wondering.

"A nymph by the name of Kerra. She was quite lovely, but you put her to shame. I have never felt anything like I feel when I kiss your beautiful lips." He said. I smiled and laid my head back on his chest.

"I have to say that the rest of forever is looking pretty good from here." I told him. He chuckled.

"I could not agree more." Ariston said, I could hear the smile in his voice. "May I cook you dinner at my house tonight?" He asked a few moments later and I looked up into his eyes.

"That sounds perfect." I kissed him.

* * *

The sun was close to setting as Ariston drove us up his long driveway. I smiled when the house came into view.

"Wow." I breathed, once again stunned by the majesty of the building, with its white gold veined marble and columns partially covered in climbing vines.

"If you see this as amazing, just wait until you see Olympus. That is truly a sight to behold." Ariston said with a smile, my smile grew at the thought.

"I cannot wait." I told him.

Some beautiful classical music was playing as Ariston led me into his home through the front door.

"May I show you something?" Ariston asked, I nodded.

He led me down the hall and stopped at a painting of a middle-aged woman with caramel colored hair and gray green eyes. She had a lovely face with classically Greek features and a rounded chin. She wore a pale pink dress held together with pins of gold and belted at the waist with a braid of rose gold.

"That is my mother, Princess Demetria of Thera." Ariston said, I was in wonder.

"She is beautiful." I said, looking at the motherly woman. "What was she like?" I looked to Ariston to see him smiling, his eyes far away while looking at the portrait of his mother.

"She was amazing, the best mother anyone could ever hope for." Ariston told me. "Kind and sweet, beautiful and loving. She never married after my father had her, she said that no man could ever hope to live up to him, so what was the use in looking?" He laughed as a sadness came into his eyes. "I miss her greatly." I placed my hand on his arm.

"Do you think she would have liked me?" I asked a moment later, his smile grew as he took his eyes off the painting and looked into my eyes.

"She would have loved you." Ariston stated. "She was always telling me I needed a good woman, that I needed a wife. I wish my mother could have met you, you two would have gotten along famously." He caressed my cheek. "Now for dinner."

Ariston brought me into the beautiful kitchen and offered me a seat. I sat down on the bar stool at the island and watched him cook in silent fascination as he chopped up some vegetables with amazing speed. He put some marinated chicken in a copper pan and placed it on the stove, he poured some wine over and lit it on fire.

"That smells good." I said. Ariston smiled to me over his shoulder.

"I am glad you think so." He said.

"Is there anything you cannot do?" I asked, he laughed. When the food was cooked, he placed it on two plates with such beauty and drizzled a sauce over it. "Wait here." He said.

"Alright." I said.

Ariston smiled to me one last time before disappearing from the room. He was back not a moment later with a dinner jacket on, he looked amazing.

"This way, my lady." He said, I laughed and took his proffered arm.

He led me out of the kitchen, through the living room and out to the balcony where we had breakfast together last week. I gasped at the view, above the brightly colored landscape, the sky was stunning in its brilliant shades of light pinks while the clouds were painted in gold.

I looked around at the balcony again and smiled. A small round table was set up with two blue glass plates that held our dinner, purple napkins, silver utensils and two chairs. Hundreds of unlit candles were all around the balcony.

"Oh Ariston." I breathed. "It is beautiful." He snapped his fingers and the candles all flickered to life at once. "Show off." I said, Ariston laughed and held my chair out for me.

I sat down and he took his seat across from me and poured wine into the two wine glasses on the table.

"Wine?" I asked.

"You have not had wine until you have tasted my brother's brew. I asked him for something light of alcohol." Ariston told me, I laughed.

"I take it you want me sober tonight?" I asked jokingly, he laughed.

"It would be preferable." Ariston said with a smile, I knew he was teasing me.

We ate our dinner to classical music and the smiles, laughs and conversation we shared. The food was beyond exquisite as always, the only thing that outmatched it was his company.

"Next time I will cook for you." I told him, he smiled at the offer.

"Deal, and the time after that we can cook together." He said, I smiled and nodded my agreement to his idea. "I do have something for you." He added.

"Another gift?" I asked with a laugh.

"I did warn you." Ariston said with that crooked smile.

In his hand a beautiful box appeared out of golden light. It was oval and made of gold that was inlaid with sapphires, rubies, diamonds and emeralds all cut in different shapes and sizes. I took it from his hand and admired it.

"It is beautiful." I said, turning the ornate box over in my fingers. "Thank you, I love it." Ariston laughed.

"The gift is inside, my love." He said.

I found a latch, opened the jewelry box and gasped. Inside was a huge pink, rose-colored stone that sparkled in such a way in the light of the candles and that of the setting sun, that I knew it had to be a diamond. The diamond was huge, 15ct's at the least, and cut into the form of an open rose with remarkable detail. The pendant was set on a chain of white metal that shimmered like the metal of Nell's chain that held her black jade dragon. I was speechless, I looked up at Ariston to find him smiling at my expression.

"Ariston..." I could not find the words.

"I take it you like it?" He asked.

"Like is hardly the word… is this a diamond?" I asked.

"It is," Ariston replied with his wide crooked smile. "The metal of the chain is adamantine, a metal only the gods can forge. The metal is stronger than the diamond itself, which is why it is used to forge weapons for the gods." Given that the hardest substance in the world is a diamond, that was truly saying something about the metals strength.

"This was my mother's," Ariston said, I looked up at him. "It is called the Rose Diamond. My father gave it to my mother to protect her. I gave it to Elianna when we wed, and when she passed she placed it in my hand and said to give it to the woman I am destined to be with." He smiled to me. I was deeply touched.

"What about Kallisto?" I asked. Surely she would not want me wearing something of her mother's. "It should be given to her."

"I already spoke with my daughter," Ariston said, his smile never faltering. "She said that she has no need of it and she would be happy for you to have it." I looked at the diamond, once again touched. "There is a secret to the diamond." He said.

Ariston took the necklace out of the box, and placed his finger to the back of the stone. As his finger began to glow, the balcony burst to life with sparkling pink lights and I gasped. On the wall to my left, among the lights were symbols that I had never seen before.

"What are they?" I asked in amazement.

"It is the language of the gods, it spells out a charm of sorts. The pendant will protect you against the Shadows stronger than anything else. A Shadow will not be able to bind with your soul so long as you wear this, it repels them." He removed his finger and the pink lights were gone, the balcony once again lit only by the setting sun and candlelight. "May I?" Ariston asked.

I nodded and he rose from his seat and walked around the table, the diamond still hanging by its chain in his hand. Ariston placed the chain around my neck, I moved my hair out of the way and he fastened it.

"I would ask of you to always wear it. It will protect you and give me some peace of mind." Ariston said.

"I will wear it always." I promised him. His hands lingered on my neck before he placed a soft kiss there, a kiss that I treasured far more than the diamond itself.

"Thank you." Ariston whispered into my ear from behind me. I turned my head to look at him, into those beautiful sky blue eyes. "Beautiful." He said in a breath.

He leaned in and placed a sweet kiss on my lips, his fingers brushing over my cheekbone in a soft caress as I became lost in his lips for the duration of the kiss.

"May I have this dance?" Ariston asked, I smiled and nodded.

I took his hand and rose from my seat. We slow danced as the sun went down and the bright, full moon rose. It was heaven being in his arms, dancing to Frank Sinatra and looking into his eyes.

"How do you feel on the subject of marriage?" Ariston asked, looking into my eyes as we danced.

I smiled and blushed. Even though he was only speaking of it and not asking me, my heart still skipped a beat at the word.

"To anyone in particular?" I asked playfully, he laughed and turned us as we danced.

"To myself of course. Would you want to be my wife someday?" He asked. My smile grew and I nodded.

"Yes, very much so." I said in all honesty. He smiled in such a way. "And do you want to be my husband?" I asked.

"With all my soul. You are the one I want, always." Ariston told me with such passion. My smile grew and matched his.

I cannot describe the joy I felt from the truth in his words. He kissed me, and in that moment I could see our whole future. I could see my father walking me down the aisle and placing my hand in Ariston's, an age-old tradition. I could see being pregnant and bearing him those children I dreamt of. I could see so much and wanted it more than I could put into words.

"I love you, so very much, my Mera." He said, his forehead leaning against mine.

"I love you, my Ariston." I replied.

We kissed again and I held onto him. He held me close, just as lost in this kiss as I was, his lips trailed down my neck before he stopped and sighed against my skin, his hot breath making me shiver.

"Mera," Ariston said.

"Do not stop, please my Ariston." I begged him, my hands in his black curls. It felt too good for him to stop.

"If you only knew how tempting that is." He said, still holding me close.

"Some temptations are made to be given into." I told him, but Ariston pulled away and disentangled himself from me. He stood a few feet from me, his breathing barely under control. "How can you pull away from me if you want me as badly as I want you?" I asked, not understanding at all. _What could be holding him back?_

"Because I love you." Ariston answered simply.

"That makes no sense." I said with a laugh. "Have you taken a vow or something?" I asked, he laughed and shook his head.

"No, nothing like that my Mera. It is not a pledge that binds me, it is my honor." He said. "You have to understand the way I was raised. I was taught that when you truly love a woman, you do not make love to her until your wedding night or at the very least until you are betrothed. By resisting her charms, you prove your love, devotion and respect for her." Ariston explained.

"So that is why you always pull away." I said, he nodded.

I shook my head with a smile at the reality of this moment. _It figures that I would find one of the few men who would wait for marriage, and I do not want to wait one moment longer. I need to make him understand how I feel, what I want and need._

"But what if said woman does not want to wait?" I asked, looking into his beautiful eyes, my heart rate becoming faster with each word I spoke. "What if she is certain of your love, devotion and respect for her and wants you now?"

"Shouldn't this conversation be reversed?" Ariston asked with a raised eyebrow and a smile. "Shouldn't I be telling you that we do not have to wait because we love each other, while you try and defend your virtue?" I laughed and he joined in.

"Perhaps, but that is not who I am, nor what I want." I told him, looking into those eyes I love so much. "I do not need a wedding band or even an engagement ring for you to prove the love and respect you have for me, nor your devotion to our relationship. I know how you feel, I see it in your eyes and feel it when you touch me and I know how I feel for you. That is enough for me."

I walked up to him and placed my hand on his cheek and slid it down his neck, loving the feeling of his cinnamon skin, and to his chest, my hand coming to rest where his heart once was. Ariston's breathing quickened and I looked into his eyes then kissed him with all the passion of the moment and then some. When the kiss came to its conclusion, his hands lingered on my hips as he looked into my eyes, his eyes dazed.

"Mera, once we do this… there is no going back. What if," He began softly.

"What if I change my mind?" I asked and shook my head. "Not going to happen." I told him then realized something with a smile. "If it takes the next five thousand years I will prove my love for you. Every moment of every day I will do everything I can to show you how much you mean to me. I am here my Ariston, with you, and I am not going anywhere. I do not want to go back, I cannot even bare the thought. You are the one, my one, my love. And I am yours, to the deepest depths of my soul I am yours and I love you." I told him.

"Are you certain?" He asked, caressing my arms with the gentlest of touches, it gave me goose bumps. I reached up and kissed him deeply.

"Does that answer your question?" I asked moments later, he nodded, his breath quickening and he looked to me. "Must I say please?"

He caressed my neck and shoulder and shook his head with a smile on his lips. He kissed me then and I wrapped my arms around his neck.

"One moment." He said, stopping the kisses.

Ariston closed his eyes then opened them and kissed me again. I wondered what he did. He took my hand in his and turned to lead me off the balcony, that was when I saw what he had done. There was a huge trail of red rose petals and thousands of candles lighting the path we walked, all the way down the end of the hallway and through his open bedroom doors. I smiled,_ I do love how romantic he is._

We walked quickly down the hallway hand in hand, stopping every now and then and kissing, undressing each other bit by bit, leaving his dinner jacket and my shawl and our shoes on our way to his bedroom. The rose petals continued all the way onto his bed, the royal blue covers of which were pulled back so that the white silk sheets showed. Candles were everywhere and moonlight poured into the room from the opening at the other end of his bedroom, the breeze ruffling the white silk curtains now and again.

It was all beautiful, but it was the king sized bed with the rose petals on it that had my attention. I turned around and looked up at Ariston, he smiled down gently even though his eyes raged with the storm of his passion for me.

"I love you." He said, his voice low, a whisper in the night, a truth meant for my ears alone.

"I love you." I whispered back.

Somehow, knowing that we were about to make love made everything different, made it real. I was not in such a rush anymore and neither was he. He caressed my cheek then leaned down to kiss me, a long, deep kiss. I looked into his eyes and he gazed into mine before our lips met again and I went to work unbuttoning his shirt. I looked down at his beautiful muscular chest and slipped my hand under the silk of his shirt on his chest and up over his shoulders where it fell to the floor with a hushed sound. I admired his godly form for a time before kissing him again.

He kissed my neck and I clutched onto him. His hand found the zipper at the back of my dress.

"Mera," He whispered with his hand on the zipper. I opened my eyes to look into his. "Do you trust me?" He asked.

"With all my soul." I told him truthfully.

He smiled and kissed me, a long, passionate, lingering kiss as he unzipped my dress and slowly slid it off my body with his warm, tender hands. Our lips parted and I watched his eyes scan over my exposed flesh. My navy blue, lace underwear was all that was left and his eyes lingered on it. When his eyes found mine, I smiled and laughed as I leaned up on my toes to share a passionate kiss as his hands danced over every inch of me, my body arching against his while I nearly shook within his embrace. His hands went down to my hips as he kissed down my neck and he slowly began removing that last piece of lace as he kissed all he could, and I stepped out of them as he came back up to me to taste more of my lips. I leaned back and then looked into his eyes as I held his face between my hands.

I leaned away from him, my hands running down his incredible chest and abs, my eyes trailing down to the bulge I could feel only too well while he held me close. For a moment I paused before my hands went to his belt. Once I removed the leather, sliding it from its keepers and tossing it out of the way, I undid the button and then the zipper. With a push, those trousers fell to the floor, along with his boxers. There he was, naked before me, it was in that moment I knew I had never witnessed something so beautiful as him and his soul was somehow the best part, even with how impressive he was in every single way.

My eyes trailed back up to his in wonder, and he bent down, putting one arm around my back, the other behind my knees and sweeping me up into his arms. I gasped, kissing him ardently as he carried my form, then he laid me down in the middle of his bed. His fingers knotted in my hair as he kissed me, while his hand and fingers toyed and stroked my breasts, causing me to cry out in aching need, and when his mouth replaced his fingers, and he began kissing lower, lower, lower, until,

"ARISTON!" I called out his name, my sight becoming blurry, my back almost painfully arching as I gripped onto his head of warm, black curls that were between my thighs. I was... gone and when that moment came that was unequal to anything I was quite certain I screamed. Yet as I rode that high down, I still wanted every part of Ariston, I _needed_ him within me. Two words escaped my lips in that moment. "Ariston, please..." Whether I had whispered or called out, I was too intoxicated by this to even try to guess.

"With pleasure..." Came his reply, in a voice which made me shiver and dig my nails into his shoulders as he came between my thighs.

His hands ran along the outside of my thighs as he came to hover his body over mine, his lips found mine as my hands roamed over his back, his tongue tasting of a new flavor which could only have been what he just did to me. Running his hand to the inside of my leg where I felt his heat pressing against me, he seemed to guide himself closer, and then I felt him as he came into me for the first time. There was no rush as we became one, my breath hitching as I winced for a moment, my eyes tightly closed as I tried to get a handle on this new sensation. Once he was fully inside of me, he buried his face in my neck as he rested on top of me and his hand touched my thigh.

"I am here, my love," He whispered. "Right here with you."

He kissed the tip of my jaw and that was when I opened my eyes, everything was different, intense, powerful... and our very souls began to meld in an entirely brand new way. Ariston leaned back and gazed into my eyes, he captured my lips as he slowly began making love to me. It was a pace that was soon left behind as we held onto each other, needing to discover the extent of this brand new experience that had taken over...


	21. Chapter Nineteen:The Beauty Of Surrender

**Author's Note: Another awesome chapter for you all to enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 19**

**The Beauty of Surrender**

**"Two bodies dancing together, two souls mingling through their passions, bringing them to an ecstasy neither of them had ever truly experienced before this night. In this one passionate act, they each exchanged half of their soul with the other, binding these two lovers together and making them one."**

**Jasmine Dubroff**

I laid in Ariston's arms as we held onto each other and gazed into each others eyes in unbelievable wonder at what we had just experienced, his sky blue eyes glowing softly in the night. There were no words for this moment.

Of all the things I thought tonight might be, I never expected that. The passion, the feeling of him, the way we fit together, like our bodies were specifically designed to seamlessly fit to one another's in a myriad of ways... it was a feeling beyond feelings, a passion beyond passions. Surrendering my maidenhood to Ariston was sacred. The heights we reached together... it was pure _ecstasy_. The candles burned out long before we did, our breathing has still not yet calmed.

But above all, I never expected this. Our connection has grown, strengthened immensely, to the point where I can feel his every emotion. There is a sense of oneness, that we are no longer two separate beings, but one soul, one heart, one mind, existing in two bodies that are totally and utterly connected. And to my great amazement, there were times when I could see through his eyes as we made love. I felt everything he felt while at the same time seeing him and feeling him. When we connected like that, I felt him in my mind and knew he was seeing through my eyes as I saw through his. We were one and the oneness has not faded.

It could have been hours or moments later when Ariston finally spoke. Time has no meaning right now, I fear time may have lost its meaning all together while we made love.

"How do you feel?" He asked, his voice low, a caress in the night.

I shook my head with a gentle smile on my lips. _How can I hope to put into words how I feel? The completeness, this weightlessness, the joy, the bliss?_

"There are no words to put to how I am feeling, my Ariston." I told him softly. "I feel that the bond and love we share has grown exponentially, that everything has fallen into place. That I am right where I belong, here in your arms, in your bed." I said, looking into his eyes. He caressed my cheek, such euphoria on his face. I could feel his joy, it mingled with my own. I caressed his beautiful chest with my hand. "Is it always like this?" I asked him, he shook his head, a low laugh leaving his lips.

"No, it is not. I have never felt anything like I did tonight." He said with such wonder in his voice. "I saw into your mind and I could feel you in mine while we were intertwined. I felt what you felt, I saw myself through your eyes." My smile grew.

"I knew you experienced it too." I told him, he smiled. We laid in silence, drinking each other in for a time.

"Have I ever told you what your name means in Greek?" Ariston asked, I shook my head. "Mera, it means fate. A fitting name for you." I smiled and kissed him and we laid in silence for a while longer.

"You can say it now." I told him.

"Say what?" He asked.

"That I was right about not waiting." I said with a smile.

He chuckled, a light, airy, breathless sound. In that moment, Ariston, son of Zeus and a god in his own right, had not a care in the world. Nothing outside of us existed.

"You were right." He said, leaning in and kissing me. "As if I could deny you anything you wanted."

I smiled and kissed him again as our need grew, my arm went around his back to hold him closer and he nuzzled my neck as he came inside of me, the passion and ecstasy starting all over again on this incredible night of nights...

* * *

I awakened to the warmth of the sun on my back, and even better, to the warmth of the man I love beneath me. I smiled and opened my eyes. Just like the three other nights I spent in his arms, we have barely moved since we fell asleep. Last night was nothing like the other nights though, last night we surrendered to each other at long last and made love over, and over, and over again until there was no strength left within us. I looked into his eyes, my mind still in the beautiful daze of this dream, surely it must be a dream, it is too perfect for it not to be. And if it was a dream, I wanted to never awaken from it, from Ariston.

The oneness was still within me, within us, and I have a feeling it is not going anywhere anytime soon. I could still feel his every emotion.

"Good morning my love." Ariston said, his voice so tender. I looked into his smiling eyes, melting once again within his gaze.

"Good morning." I greeted him.

I kissed his lips, _how can anything be so sweet as this?_ I moved up a bit and laid my head on the pillow next to his and looked into his eyes. He rolled on his side and wrapped his arm around my waist, our bodies flush. I placed my hand on his shoulder, treasuring the feeling of his body against mine as the silk sheets lingered over our singular form.

"What time is it?" I asked randomly, not really caring but wanting to hear his voice again.

"6:32" He answered, still lost in my eyes.

"PM?" I asked, he nodded. I laughed, _we were up rather late last night, or should I say early this morning...?_

"Well, it seems I have missed school. You could have woken me." I accused with a smile, although this morning I could not have cared less about school. Ariston smiled and shook his head.

"If you had any idea how beautiful you look when you sleep, and how it feels to hold you in my arms, you would never suggest such an awful idea." Ariston told me, making me laugh again.

"And you missed teaching today." I said.

"I asked Kallisto to fill in for me again, she was glad to." He said, caressing my arm. "Since you have already missed school today, would I be able to tempt you into spending what is left of the day with me? And the night...?"

"I think that can be arranged." I smiled, elated that I would be spending more time with him. Truth be told, he could not have parted me from his side if he tried, I would not have had it. I leaned in to kiss him.

"Why don't we start with a shower?" Ariston offered when our kiss ended.

"Alright." I said with a chuckle.

We got up and I stretched, I have never felt so good in my life, so free. I felt different, changed in a way I cannot explain. I felt as if I were walking on a cloud, everything seemed unreal and more vivid at the same time, I could swear that even colors seemed more lively. Our clothing still lay where they fell last night, some garments dropped on the floor and others tossed out of the way.

As we bathed each other in the waterfall, I enjoyed the heady euphoria of touching his skin, and we ended up making love once more, not being able to resist each other. We dried each other off with his towels afterwards.

"You were not joking when you said that these are woven out of the clouds were you?" I asked, already guessing at the answer.

"Only the gods have the knowledge to spin it." Ariston said. "All of my clothing is made out of it. It is incredibly light and self-adjust to heat and cold, that is why Vrontos needs so little blankets."

"Extraordinary." I said, he chuckled. We went to the single marble sink and Ariston handed me my toothbrush that, to my knowledge, was still in my bathroom in my apartment.

"I thought you might want this." Ariston said. I thanked him, Ariston watched me as I brushed my teeth.

"You are not going to shave or brush your teeth?" I asked, he smiled to me.

"Unlike mortals, our hair is not made out of dead skin cells, it is alive. We control how our hair grows. It is as much a part of me as any other part of my anatomy, which is why my hair is as warm as I am." Ariston told me. "We do not need to brush our teeth either, germs do not grow on us."

"So you never get sick?" I asked.

"Not since I died and became immortal, and then a god." Ariston told me.

When I finished with my teeth and brushed my hair, I turned to Ariston and he wrapped his arms around my waist as my hands went to his warm bare chest.

"What would you like to do today?" Ariston asked. "We could go to Rome, I have a place there. Or shopping in Paris? Milan perhaps? Anywhere in the world, name it and we will be there in moments." My smile grew at his offer but I shook my head.

"As tempting as it is, we have time enough for that later. Today I want nothing more than to stay here with you." I told him. He smiled and kissed me, one of those sweet, lingering kisses that set my body to tingling.

We walked out of his bathroom in towels, and he led me though another door and into a huge closet that was twice the size of my closet in my apartment and flawlessly organized. Ariston dressed in a white shirt and white pants that looked to be made out of cotton, very casual. He only did up a few of the buttons on his shirt, showing off his chest. Ariston looked at me in my towel and closed his eyes for a moment, sighing as he looked at me apologetically.

"Forgive me, I forgot that you have no clothing here. I will have some sent for you." He said. I smiled, shaking my head.

"I can manage." I told him.

I dropped my towel, even though he has already seen my body, his eyes still widened as he gave me a once over. I smiled and walked over to his shirts.

"May I?" I asked

"Of course." Ariston said at once with a smile.

I chose a blue, pinstriped button down shirt and pulled it off its hanger, sliding my arms into the cool silken sleeves. The shirt was long enough to cover me but the sleeves were far too long, so I rolled them up after I buttoned up a few buttons, leaving a few undone just to tease him. I looked at Ariston to see him looking me over with approval.

"It suits you." He said, taking me into his arms. "How would you like some breakfast?"

"I would love some, I am starved." I replied with a smile. He took my hand then led me to the kitchen.

"What would you like?" He asked.

"I will make something." I told him, he shook his head.

"Oh no, my love, I am cooking for you on this morning." He told me, a provocative smile upon his lips. "I need to give you something in return after what you gave me last night..." I raised an eyebrow.

"What _I_ gave _you_?" I asked, laughing as I shook my head. "You are forgetting what _you_ gave _me_." I leaned up and bit his lips. "I was a virgin, there is no way I was _that_ good." He shook his head, resting his forehead to mine.

"Believe me," He nearly whispered, his hand tracing the shape of my exposed collarbone. "With every woman I have been with, with all the skills they had... It did not even come close to touching all of last night and this morning. I felt all of your emotions, everything I made you feel... there are not words. I have never truly felt a woman's orgasm before," He shook his head, his pupil's dilating further. "It seems Tiresias was right, women do enjoy sex far more than men can hope to." I blushed horribly, turning red from head to toe. "When I brought you there... it nearly undid me each time I shared in that experience, and you have natural talent."

"Gods, if someone were to hear us saying such things..." I shook my head, he looked into my eyes.

"We are the only ones here, no one else knows." He whispered into my ear, taking the lobe gently between his teeth and exciting a moan from me. "As a conclusion you can bet that I am cooking this morning. Blueberry muffins, lots of fruit and omelets?" He asked.

"Sounds perfect," I said, my voice barely making a sound with all his touches and words did to me. "May I help you cook?"

"I would like that." He smiled, kissing my lips once more in the hallway before we continued to his kitchen, my head as hazy as his was as we got to work.

I made the mix for the blueberry muffins from scratch, knowing my fathers recipe by heart, and poured it into the muffin pan Ariston gave me. Cooking with him is wonderful, the glances, the passing touches and random kisses and laughter. I put the muffins in the preheated oven and went to Ariston. He had a kettle on the stove and was cooking our omelets.

"That smells wonderful." I told him as I walked up behind him and wrapped my arms around his body, holding him close.

Ariston smiled to me, he turned around in my arms and kissed me. I clutched him closer. He lifted me up with ease in his strong arms and set me down on the counter, his lips never leaving mine, his hands under the shirt I wore, roaming over my body, making my skin feel like it had burst aflame as my heart pounded in my chest in anticipation. It was about to go further when the teakettle began to whistle loudly. He stopped kissing me and we laughed, our faces only inches apart.

"To be continued." He said with a devilish grin as he helped me down from the counter, kissing my lips once more before getting the kettle.

Ariston put herbs into a little ball of mesh and put it into the teapot to steep. When everything was ready, Ariston put our plates of omelets, tea and some fruits on a tray and I picked up the basket of fresh baked muffins.

"This way." He said.

He led me outside onto the balcony where we had dinner last night, I saw that everything had been cleaned up. From there we went down a flight of stairs and through the woods a bit, to find a spot was ready for us under the shade of a huge oak tree, looking out over the beautiful view from his mountain top home. We sat down and began to eat, the food was perfect and after last night's and this morning's exertions, I was famished.

"Who does all the cleaning?" I asked Ariston.

"Nymphs," Ariston answered. "Most of them are honored to help the gods in any way they can."

"What is that?" I asked of the golden pear shaped fruit in his hand.

"This is ambrosia." Ariston said, pronouncing it am-vro-se-ah as a true Greek would, since their 'B' is a 'v' sound.

"The food of the gods." I smiled.

A knife appeared in his hand and he sliced off a portion of the fruit and handed it to me, I took it and took a bite. It was divine, the flavor was unlike anything I have ever eaten. It was sweet, juicy and had a certain tang to it. The texture was somewhat like that of a pear but smoother, almost liquid like.

"Delicious." I said.

Ariston smiled and handed me an ambrosia and a knife. I took a slice and ate it, then finished my omelets and two blueberries muffins and a cup of tea. I looked at Ariston, who was now eating a plum as he lounged on his side with a smile on his lips and love in his eyes. He looked like a painting, the way his white unbuttoned shirt fell to the side to show off some of his muscular chest, an all too appealing sight. I was in complete awe of him and amazed by the fact that such a god could love me as he does. A part of me has always known that Ariston loves me... but now, to be able to feel what is within his soul, to experience the true power of his unending, undying love for me... it is a gift beyond all gifts. His eyes did not leave mine as we ate.

"I am still not entirely convinced that last night was not a dream." I said to him with a smile.

"A good dream?" He asked with a raised eyebrow. I chuckled and blushed deeply.

"_Far more _then good, as I am quite certain we disguised shortly ago." I said, making him blush and his crooked smile grow.

"I feel the same, 'too flatteringly-sweet to be substantial.'" Ariston said, quoting Romeo as an enticing smile lit his lips. "However, I can think of a way or two we can be certain that we are not dreaming."

"Is that so?" I asked him with a raised eyebrow.

Again I saw the hunger in his eyes, my heart skipped a beat and then began pounding. I crawled over to him and kissed him as I climbed onto his lap, reaching down to untie his pants as I was guided by my instincts, desires and also what I knew my Ariston wants since I was already beginning to connect with his thoughts. He wanted me here, out in nature with this tree shading us and every bit of me wanted him...

Many hours later I laid on his chest, embraced by his smiling ancient eyes. We spent the rest of the night on our makeshift bed of blankets and springy grass. He showed me constellations and explained how they received their names. We spent the night talking about everything and nothing, a few hours after sunset, I looked into his eyes and could not resist him...

Hours later we laid on our backs breathing heavily. _My god, how can anything feel like that? _It would seem that five thousand years of 'practice' has truly paid off. I looked at him then rolled so that I was on his chest, his arms wrapped around me automatically. Ariston caressed my cheek and caressed a few strands of hair out of my face.

"I love you, my Ariston." I whispered.

"I love you, my Mera." He whispered back in the night.

We went inside, and I convinced him to allow me to cook us a fabulous and unique chicken dinner and then we bathed in his pool. When we made love in the hot water, it was slow and sweet as we took our time, sharing in such heady ecstasy and it was... overwhelming. We climbed into bed and after a time, I was becoming too tired to stay awake with everything we had been up to. I pulled the blankets closer around us as I laid upon his all too warm chest, smelling his scent and mine mixed together in a wonderful way.

"I would like to go to school tomorrow, so will you please not let me sleep past 6am?" I asked sleepily.

"As you wish." He said. "I love you, sweet dreams, my love."

"I love you, my love, sleep well." I mumbled in my tired state; he does know how to wear me out, but I am in no way complaining.

I laid my head back on his chest and closed my eyes in my own personal heaven.

* * *

"Mera," I smiled as Ariston softly said my name into my ear.

"Mhm." I mumbled.

"I am waking you on your request, you said you did not want to miss school today." He said. I opened my eyes and yawned.

"Good morning." I said.

"Good morning, my love. If we leave soon, we could have lunch in Paris before class." Ariston offered.

"Lunch? Is it that late?" I asked, he chuckled.

"It is six hours later in Paris my love, they are now serving lunch." He told me.

"Sounds wonderful." I said.

We took a quick shower and he brought me into the closet. I gasped when I saw that it was twice the size it had been yesterday, the new portion of the closet was made up of women's clothing that looked to be just my size. There were shoes, and purses and a variety of other accessories. A huge dresser made out of beautiful patterned wood, which I assumed had more clothing within it, sat in the back of the room.

"I took the liberty of having some things made ready for you. I realize it is not much, but it is only a start. I plan on taking you shopping as soon as I can." Ariston said. I looked at him in amazement.

"This is all... mine?" I asked.

"It is." He said.

I smiled and touched one of the garments, they were brand new, and some even still had tags. Some things looked more unique and were made of that soft fabric, cloud wool or silk he called it. Each piece of clothing was more beautiful than the last.

"I have never had such clothing." I said with a smile.

"What of the clothing you wear?" Ariston asked.

"Borrowed, except for a few generous gifts. Margret shares all of her clothing with me. I am immensely grateful for it, but I have never had clothing like this that was my own." I told him.

I turned back to Ariston when I felt a sadness within him. His eyes were saddened by what I had told him for a moment, before a smile lit his flawless features and a mixture of joy and determination filled him.

"I can take care of that." He told me. "From now on, anything you want, anything you desire, you have but to say the word and it is yours. As a god, I have access to unlimited funds, so you do not have to worry about what you spend. I want you to have everything you have ever dreamed of having." My heart felt as if it were about to burst. I walked up to him and kissed him.

"Just being able to call you my own is more than I ever dared hope for. Your love is everything to me." I told him.

"You are everything to me as well, my Mera. Which is why I want to give you these things, it brings me great joy to do so. You would not deny me my joy, would you?" He asked in a slightly playful tone. I laughed.

"No my love, I would not. I am... immensely grateful, for everything." I kissed him once more.

"Ah." Ariston said, as if he had just remembered something. He went and picked up a long white box with a bow on it. "As promised." He stated with a smile. I was curious. I opened the box and moved the paper out of the way and was amazed by what was in there.

"They are beautiful." I breathed.

I picked up one of the riding boots out of the box. They were just like Ariston's, they have twine lacing on the outside, with which you can tighten and loosen the calf of the boot, and on the inside there is rubber to help you grip. They were soft enough to not need to be broken in but still looked brand new.

"They are wonderful boots, I had them softened for you so you do not need to break them in." Ariston told me. I smiled and looked into his liquid, ancient eyes.

"Thank you, I cannot wait to wear them." I said to him. The look on his face, the smile, made this gift mean all the more. I kissed him over the box.

"We should get ready." He said. I nodded and he put the box down on a stool.

Ariston began getting dressed and I turned to my new clothing. I decided I would look through the clothing later and chose one of the first day dresses I saw, a beautiful white Gucci dress with white pumps to go with it. I tied a short blue scarf around my neck, and as I slipped on a pair of short white gloves, the wooden dresser caught my attention and peaked my curiosity. I bit my lip and went over to it. Grasping the gold handles, I pulled open the doors and gasped once again, my jaw going slack as I took in the beautiful jewelry inside it, my eyes as wide as a kid in a candy store, or a woman visiting Harry Winston for the first time.

Diamonds, rubies, sapphires, emeralds, pearls and so many more stones were wrought into jewels the likes of which I have never seen! Every color in the rainbow sat there on blue velvet. There were some that had no stones at all, they were simply beautifully wrought metal, either gold, silver, adamantine or other metals I did not recognize. Some of the jewelry was simple while others were more extravagant, but what each piece had in common was that each and every stone was flawless and each jewel was designed and crafted with astoundingly intricate attention to detail. They were truly something to behold, and I was speechless at the thought of them all being mine. Never in my life had I imagined that I would have such jewels.

"These are a few of my brother's creations I thought you would enjoy," Ariston said from behind me. "Hephaestus is as brilliant and exact in crafting jewelry as he is with weapons. I think you should wear these for today." Ariston took out a pair of large square sapphire studs surrounded by a diamond cut to fit around it like a glove, a square upon a square.

I smiled and put them in then looked at the huge full-length mirror. The outfit looked amazing, the Rose Diamond sparkling on my neck. I smiled as Ariston wrapped his arms around my waist, looking at me in the mirror as he placed a sweet kiss on my right temple. He looked amazing in a silver suit with a white shirt, the edges of which were trimmed in sapphire blue, with a few of the buttons undone. What was even more beautiful was the way we looked together. We fit, more proof that we were made for each other.

"You look stunning." Ariston told me, my smile grew.

"It is ridiculous how lucky I am." I said with a shake of my head. "First of all, I find my soul mate in the most incredible, loving, passionate man when I am seventeen and fall so madly and deeply in love. But I guess that was not enough for Fate. My soul mate just happens to be a Greek God and more beautiful then any man I have ever seen. And even _that _was not enough, he is also wildly rich and delights in giving me gifts, the likes of which I have never dreamed of." Ariston laughed.

"I feel even more blessed because I found you, and because I can give you such gifts. I love the way your face lights up." Ariston said, my smile grew once again. "We should be going."

"Do you know where my purse is?" I asked him.

"Here." Ariston said.

I turned to see it in his hand, I chuckled and took it. I picked out a blue, woven leather purse from my new collection and transferred my things into it, then grabbed a gray trench coat which Ariston held for me as I slid my arms into it. He wrapped his arms around me and I held him as he became golden light.

A moment later we were in a beautiful, pristine white hallway. Ariston held his arm out and I took it. Down the hallway and to the right, a hostess in a lovely pink dress stood behind a podium. Ariston spoke to her in French and she brought us to a little table outside. The place looked like a postcard, and with French music floating through the air, the atmosphere matched what my mind always imagined France would be like.

I looked around at the beautiful old buildings, studying there architecture. I have always wanted to travel, always hungered to see the world.

"I have never been to France before." I said.

"You have not done much traveling, have you?" Ariston asked.

"I went to Russia with Margret to visit her parents for spring break once, I visited the Kremlin with Margret and Nikolai, her brother who clearly had a crush on me, but besides that I have not been outside the United States." I told him.

"Well then, it appears we have quite a bit of traveling to do." Ariston said. "I have so much to show you, and forever to do it in."

I looked at Ariston with such excitement, he smiled and chuckled. Ariston held my hand and played with my fingers on the table as we waited for our food.

"I have been thinking." Ariston stated.

"About anything in particular?" I asked suggestively with a raised eyebrow, he laughed once.

"I want to meet your family." Ariston told me in an upbeat tone. I looked down and stopped smiling a bit, apprehension filling me. "Have I said something wrong?" He asked.

"No, my love... it is just..." I said, I did not know quite how to put my worries into words. I sighed.

"Do you not want me to meet them?" Ariston asked, thankfully he was not hurt, just curious. I am still amazed that I can still feel his feelings, which must mean he can feel mine as well. I did not want him to misinterpret my emotions.

"No, of course I want you to meet them." I said to him, looking into his eyes. "I love you, so much so, and I want them to love you. And I am worried that they will only see you as a thirty-something year old man who has seduced their seventeen year old daughter."

"Thirty?" Ariston was clearly amused by that, it made me smile despite myself.

"You look about that." I said.

"Give or take a few thousand years." He replied, then sighed. "This is truly bothering you." I nodded, Ariston caressed my cheek as he looked into my eyes. "Mera, I fully intend on marrying you when you are ready. I love you, I make you happy and not to mention I can amply provide for you. What more could any parent ask of the man their daughter loves?" He asked. "You do love me, do you not?" He asked, already knowing the answer.

"With all my soul." I said, slightly breathless from his touch.

"And I do make you happy, do I not?" He asked.

"Happier than I have ever been." I sighed and shook my head. "You do realize that if my father finds out we are having sex he is going to kill you." I told him, to my surprise Ariston smiled at that.

"It is well worth the risk." He said, I smiled and blushed. I had to agree with him on that.

"I am flying out to see my parents for my 18th birthday in a month, I cannot imagine spending it without you." I said to him. "Come with me." His smile grew.

"I would love to." He said, I could feel his joy at my inviting him.

He leaned over the table and kissed me. I understood in that moment why they make the tables so small, they are easier to kiss over. I placed my hand on his cheek and savored the kiss.

"Thank you." Ariston said in a low voice, looking into my eyes when the kiss had ended.

I could feel how much this meant to him, there was also something else he was feeling about this, a kind of excitement for something. I wondered at that until our lunch came a few moments later.


	22. Chapter Twenty: Surprises

**Author's Note: Here is another sweet chapter for you all! I have one more chapter written after this, then I have to go through the rough draft of the second half of the book. That will take time, but I will try and update ASAP! Thank you, each and every one of you, for your reviews, favorites and follows! They are worth more than I can say, knowing that Mera and Ariston's beginning means as much to you as it does to me!**

**Love Jasmine!**

* * *

**Chapter 20**

**Surprises**

**"Be not afraid of greatness: some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them."**

**William Shakespeare**

Ariston teleported us to Blueridge Prep five minutes before the classes started. There was almost no one in the halls. Before we entered I pulled Ariston to me and kissed him deeply, Ariston held me close, his arms around my waist.

"To hold me over until later." I explained breathlessly.

His smile grew and he kissed me again passionately then lingered for a moment, his hot delicious breath washing across my lips, before reluctantly letting me go. My book bag appeared in his hand and he handed it to me. I smiled and thanked him.

All eyes were on us when we walked in. I smiled, my head held high, no matter what they thought, I was proud to be holding Ariston's hand. Ariston kissed my gloved hand and I used what was left of my strength to walk away from him and take my seat beside Margret. Margret raised an eyebrow, I knew what she was asking. I blushed and nodded. She smiled and squeezed my hand.

* * *

As always, I could not take my eyes off of Ariston as he taught and he would glance at me from time to time. _And I thought I desired him before..._ it seems that now that I know what he is capable of, I desire him even more. I could feel what Ariston was feeling, and how he had the focus to teach an entire class with the feelings that raged like a tempest inside of him I will never know. I could hardly keep my seat.

When the class ended, I picked up my bag and looked at Ariston, our eyes meeting. A few students lingered to talk to him. When I saw two cheerleaders flirting with him, flipping their hair and giving him goo-goo eyes, I was far from thrilled. However Ariston kept glancing at me, barely paying them any attention, making my smile grow. I walked over to him and kissed him, just so they would know he was taken. He smiled down to me then we looked at them.

"Sara, Bianca, how have you been?" I asked them from Ariston's arms. The cheerleaders rolled their eyes and walked out. When they were gone, Ariston and I were alone and the door softly swung shut, Ariston discretely using his abilities to give us privacy.

"It is no wonder you chose to teach history, you lived it." I said to Ariston with a smile. Something occurred to me then, something I should have thought of earlier but had been too lost in him to do so. "Should I be worried about getting pregnant?" I asked, remembering that he did not use protection and that I am not on the pill. Ariston shook his head.

"I have been meaning to tell you." Ariston said. "What I had you eat a few nights ago, when we almost made love in your apartment, it is a seed that prevents pregnancy for two months and has no side effects, unlike mortal birth control. As long as you take another in just under two months, you will not become pregnant, no matter how many times I have you..." I laughed as he rubbed his nose against mine, my skin turning to fire; it was a great relief to hear. As much I want to be a mother, I know that I am not ready just yet. I want to live first so that I can devote myself to our children completely.

"If the gods have such a prevention, then why are there so many unplanned pregnancies in Mythology?" I asked Ariston.

"In moments of intense passion, a god can forget to give the seed to a mortal. That is how I came to be here." Ariston said. I placed my hand on his cheek and once again thanked the Moirae that Ariston is here with me. "Do you want children?" He asked, I smiled.

"Most definitely, I would love to be a mother. Just not quite yet." I told him.

"I agree, I am not ready to share you, not yet." Ariston said with such a smile. "However, you _should_ worry if we should ever have a boy."

"Why is that?" I asked him.

"I had a rather mischievous youth, where do you think my sons got it from?" Ariston said with a wide smile and I could not help but laugh.

"We will have a son and a daughter." I told him.

"And how is it you came to know this?" Ariston asked and I realized that now is as good a time as any to tell him about the dream, about Elianna. I pulled back and leaned against his desk and he came to lean beside me as I looked up into his eyes.

"On the plane ride back from New York with Margret, I had a dream." I began, wondering how he would react. "I was walking along the beach with your wife, Elianna."

"Really?" He asked, he was clearly surprised to hear this. I nodded with a smile.

I told Ariston the details of the dream, of Elianna and I's conversation, Ariston watched me all the while with his beautiful crooked smile. I was thankful that I seemed to remember every detail of the dream. I loved Ariston's smile and the pride and joy on his face as I told him about us with our children.

"Elianna said 'All this and more can be yours, but you must tell him the truth, you must tell him how you feel. There is no time to waste, you are going to need each other for what is to come.'" I told Ariston. "I saw worry in her eyes before she looked away. She told me not to hold back with you, that it would be a waste of precious time when we already know that we are going to be together forever. She said to tell you that even though dark times are coming, not to be afraid, and to tell you 'the sunset looks like rain.' She said you would know what the phrase means." Ariston's face changed then, to a look of complete shock.

"She was really there." He said, half of him still not believing it. He shook his head, his eyes still wide. Ariston looked into my confused eyes and explained. "Mera, it was not just a dream. Elianna was truly there. 'The sunset looks like rain' was a private joke between us, no one else knew of it." He shook his head, I felt a great worry within him.

"I do not understand," I said to him. "What are you trying to tell me? What has you so worried?" Ariston looked at me, I could not comprehend the look in his eyes, it was as if his greatest fear was about to come true. For a moment, I thought he would not answer.

"Elianna's message." Ariston answered my question after a time. "That is what has me so worried. She was always an optimist, no matter how bad things were she would smile and tell me not to worry, that everything would be alright. She said that my loving her was enough of a miracle for her to believe that anything was possible." He shook his head with a smile that only lasted for a moment before the worry returned. "For her to say that dark times are ahead, means that whatever is to come must be bad, devastatingly so.

"And for Elianna to be in your dream, means that she was sent by the Moirae, as a warning." I could _feel _his worry as if it were my own. I myself was shocked for a moment before I regained my composer. I placed my hand on his cheek and he looked into my eyes.

I saw in his eyes that there was something more, something he was not telling me. I felt such fear within him, I knew that he was afraid for me but I could not understand why. _What danger could there possibly be to me? Ariston is a god, he can protect me from anything, and I am a Descendant, I can fend for myself._ I placed my hands on his cheeks.

"No matter what is to come," I said to him softly. "No matter how bad it may be, we will get through it, together." I promised him, my voice low. There was a look in his eyes that told me I was missing a crucial piece of the puzzle.

In that moment, I did not care what it was. What I cared about was that the man I love was afraid; I had to comfort him. I leaned in and kissed his lips and felt his worry begin to dissipate as he held me tighter. I kissed him again and soon his worry was gone, overtaken by his love for me. We kissed a few times more as we held onto each other for dear life. Our breathing was ragged when our kisses ended.

"Will you walk with me to my next class?" I asked him breathlessly. He sighed.

"I wish I could." Ariston said. "However, there are some things on Olympus that require my attention."

"How long will you be gone for?" I asked him, looking up into his ancient eyes.

"I will be back by the time your last class ends." He said with a slight smile, some of that feeling was returning but he was in control of it. What I felt from him now was a deep determination.

"I will miss you." I said. He caressed my cheek.

"And I you. I love you, so very much." Ariston told me.

"I love you, my love." I replied.

He kissed me and I held onto him, melting into his lips, into the warmth of his divine embrace, all thoughts of our worries gone from my mind and his. Ariston's hot breath washed across my lips when the kiss ended and for a moment I thought he was going to change his mind about leaving, and I was going to end up missing the rest of school. Ariston sighed and pulled back, a smile on his lips and in his eyes as he disappeared in golden light.

I walked out of the classroom, feeling as if I were walking on a cloud, I could not stop smiling, but at the same time I worried. I wondered what Ariston was not telling me.

"Mera?" I was so lost in my own thoughts that Aaron's voice startled me. I looked ahead to see Aaron walking towards me with a smile.

"Hello Aaron." I smiled as he walked up to me. I was thankful to see that he was talking to me again. I put my worries aside for the time being.

"I just wanted to say I am sorry again for..." Aaron began, coming to stop a few feet from me.

"For trying to beat up the man I love?" I asked, he nodded and a laughed escaped my lips. "We forgive you."

"I am glad to hear that." Aaron said. It was at that moment he noticed the necklace Ariston gave me, his eyes widened. "Wow, is that from him?" He asked. I smiled and nodded, my fingers going to stroke the Rose Diamond.

"It was Ariston's mother's." I told him.

"You two are pretty serious then?" Aaron asked.

"As serious as it gets." I said with my head held high and a smile on my lips.

"It looks beautiful on you." Aaron complimented me. I smiled and thanked him and we began to walk towards our next class together. "So where were you yesterday?" He asked.

"Yesterday." I said absentmindedly, memories coming into play and making me blush. Aaron must have thought it was a question.

"Both you and Mr. Crete missed school yesterday. The rumors are already flying." Aaron informed me.

I chuckled, _well they would be true_. A blush came to my cheeks as I thought of yesterday and I bit my lip, wishing Ariston had not left without me. Even with all of yesterday and the night before, I still have not nearly had my fill of him. I do not think I could ever get enough of his touch and his presence, not to mention... I snapped myself from these thoughts before my knees grew any weaker.

"I am sure they are, even at a school like this teenagers will still be teenagers." I said absentmindedly. Aaron looked at me, I could see in his eyes that he had to know. "I was with Ariston." I told him.

"All day?" Aaron asked, I nodded.

"And night." I admitted, knowing that he would not share it. Aaron took a deep breath.

"Well." He said, raising his eyebrows for a moment.

"I probably should not have told you that." I said to him.

"No... we are friends now. I was just wondering." Aaron said. I was amazed that he was not enraged by the fact that I was sleeping with Ariston. He just seemed worried about me.

"I love him." I told Aaron.

"So I gather." Aaron replied. "His daughter taught his class again yesterday." He added in and I rolled my eyes.

"Why does everyone seem to think I do not know that he has a daughter? Ariston and I do not keep secrets from each other." I said, somewhat exasperated, then I laughed. It was the truth, Ariston and I do not keep secrets from each other. I knew that if I asked Ariston what is going on he would tell me, but a part of me was not ready to know, not yet. I wanted to remain in this incredible world of love, and have only the two of us exist, not these issues no part of me was ready to face. "Ariston told me about Kallisto the day I met him. I have had lunch with her, she is wonderful."

"She seems to be... quite something." Aaron said, a look on his face I know all too well as he looked down the hall.

"She is." I said. I watched the smile on his face as he looked ahead absentmindedly. _Could it be?_ I wondered, my smile growing.

"Do," Aaron began then cut the sentence short, taking a breath.

"Do?" I prompted him.

"Forget it." Aaron said, he looked embarrassed.

"Aaron?" I said, wondering about his question. Aaron gave an exasperated sigh.

"Do you know if she is seeing anyone?" Aaron asked, the words coming out in a rush. I looked at him with a smile, feeling such hope at this possibility.

"I do not know." I told him truthfully a moment later.

"So how are things? I am guessing everything is going well at the Stables?" Aaron asked me with a smile, clearly trying to change the subject.

"Oh no, you are not getting off that easy." I said. He sighed and smiled. "Aaron, as you said, we are friends now. Tell me?"

"I just, cannot seem to get her out of my mind." Aaron said, a smile on his lips. "I have seen her in class twice when she has filled in for her father. Yesterday, we talked for a few minutes after class before she had to leave. She is... enchanting." I did not miss how his smile grew as his face took on a slightly rosy hue. I smiled and shook my head. "I realize I'm an idiot for thinking that a woman like that could ever be interested in an eighteen year old senior... but there was something in her eyes that made me think that I might be lucky enough to have a shot with her."

"Aaron, you are far more extraordinary than you know." I told him, he looked away. "I do not know if she is seeing anyone. I will ask the next time I see her." I promised him. I realized then that the only way Aaron had to get information about Kallisto was either myself, or Ariston. Which almost made me laugh out loud, see ing as how I was the easier option.

"Thank you. Have you been riding?" Aaron asked. I almost laughed at how eager he was to change the subject. Though I suppose asking your ex-girlfriend about a woman you are interested in, could be awkward in too many ways to count.

"Yes, I have. Ariston lets me ride his horse Vrontos. He is an incredible animal." I laughed as I thought of something. "A few weeks ago, Ariston and I went to see Vrontos in his paddock and the horse walked right past Ariston and right to me. Ariston laughed and said that he should be used to it by now, that the horse has always liked women." I laughed at the memory then shook my head with a huge smile. Even the simplest memory or thought of Ariston makes me breathless as that extraordinary, inexplicable love fills my soul. Aaron looked at me with something in his eyes and a slight smile on his lips. "What?" I asked.

"I can't remember the last time I saw you smile like that. I don't know if I've ever seen you smile like that." Aaron said in almost wonder. "He really does make you happy, doesn't he?" It was not a question but I nodded anyway. It meant so much to me that Aaron seemed uplifted by that fact.

"How have you been?" I asked, I have wanted to know for so long.

"Not too bad. There is a big football game coming up, but because of my hand, Jackson is taking my place as quarterback." He told me, and my heart went out to him. He smiled and took a deep breath as he tried to take it in stride.

"Aaron..." I said.

"It was my own fault," He told me, lifting his hand where the splint Ariston had done was still in place. "I am getting what's coming to me for acting like an idiot." I went to speak when he shook his head, those sage green eyes resolute. "Mera, my hand is not your fault." I took a deep breath and nodded, trying not to feel guilty for his sake.

"How is your hand?" I asked, thinking that I could ask Ariston to heal it... but how could I? It would expose who Ariston is, or at least what he is.

"It's healing well." Aaron assured me. "I am just glad he knew what he was doing."

"Do you honestly believe I would put you in the hands of some quack?" I asked and he laughed, getting a smile out of me.

"Did you even know he could do that?" Aaron asked.

"I know that his brother is a doctor, and that Ariston is honest enough that he would have said so if he did not have the knowledge to fix it. After the things I have seen him do, it was not that far of a stretch. That man is full of surprises." I smiled thinking of the beautiful man I love.

* * *

I sat in class, not really paying attention since I already knew what Mrs. Allen was teaching. About an hour ago I felt a huge relief from Ariston and after that I was finally able to relax.

I was absentmindedly drawing Ariston in bed, just barely covered by the thin silk sheets that left little to the imagination. One of his arms stretched back to rest his head upon, the other hand linger at his side. I drew each and every crevasse, the curve and line of those muscles and everything else about him. Margret cleared her throat and I looked up at her, not understanding why she was looking at me like that. Margret glanced at my drawing and I quickly closed my notebook, realizing that I was in a public place. I blushed and smiled a thank you to her.

"She is so hot," I heard one guy whisper near by.

"Yeah, too bad she is with that teacher or I would be _all over_ that." Said another one. I could even hear them bump their fists.

I rolled my eyes and glanced around, whoever had been talking was no longer doing so. I looked at Aaron and he smiled quickly to me before looking back at the teacher. He obviously had not heard them or else he would have been ripping their heads off by now.

"Why does she get Mr. Crete? I wanted him." I knew that bitter voice, Sara Ambridge, one of the girls who were flirting with Ariston today. I smiled, knowing that she would not be able to handle such a lover.

I glanced behind me to see Sara sitting at the top of the amphitheater with her two friends, Bianca and Wendy, at her sides. I was more than surprised that I could hear them so clearly from the first row. I turned back to the teacher, who thankfully was looking at another student, but the conversation continued.

"Did you hear that _neither_ of them were at school yesterday?" Bianca Goldsworthy gossiped. "This is the _second_ time they have _both_ been absent from school."

"I wonder what they were doing." Wendy Wentworth said in a suggestive way.

"Oh shut up! He cannot really be into her." Sara said, her upset evident.

"Well, she is pretty." Wendy said, she has always been the nicest of the three. But that was like saying that out of a rattlesnake, a shark and a cobra, she was the most benevolent. I only know them from when Aaron and I were together, they were always dating his teammates.

The talk continued throughout the class, the girls gossiping or complaining and the boys describing things I would rather not hear, things I would only do with Ariston. I could not believe they would say such things where everyone could hear. _Do they know no discretion?_ What amazed me even more was that Mrs. Allen said nothing. I was glad when the class ended.

Aaron and I walked to our next class together. Margret went off to find Jack, their next class being Science while Aaron and I had Astronomy.

"That was a good class." Aaron said. I groaned.

"I could have lived without Sara and Bianca's jealousy, and Clark and Vance's comments and bets." I said, it had to be them.

"Mera, what are you talking about?" Aaron asked, looking thoroughly confused.

"You cannot tell me you did not hear them, the whole class must have heard." I said, feeling quite a bit mortified and enraged.

"I did not hear anything except for Mrs. Allen's lecture." Aaron told me with the same look in his eyes that he had when he saw me the morning after I fought the mugger, and also when I grabbed his throat on the first day of school. He smiled and shook his head. "You must have really good hearing."

We began to walk again. _How could he not have heard them?_ I wondered, then decided to think about it later.

* * *

I was once again happy that I have most of my classes with Aaron. It was wonderful to talk with him on the way to our classes, Margret and Jack even joined us, it was like old times. I did miss Ariston though, there were many times when he would come into my mind and conquer all other thoughts so that I was thoroughly unable to think of anything else but him. I wanted him, _badly._ I longed for the school day to end, knowing what it would bring.

_ I love you, my Ariston, return to me soon._ I sent the thought out to him, wondering if he would be able to hear me.

_ A few more hours and I will hold you in my arms again, and kiss your lips until there is no breath left to us._ My heart broke out into a sprint hearing Ariston's voice in my mind, and my face broke out into a huge smile.

_ I long for that my love, for that and _much_ more._ I thought back and felt his excitement at the prospect, my smile grew.

_ I love you, my Mera._ He thought to me. Margret was watching me with a curious expression, she gave me a quizzical look and I smiled.

"Just good thoughts." I told her.

The next class was less talkative than the one before, thank the gods. There were still times when a conversation would start though, I did my best to ignore the words that were spoken about Ariston and I's 'scandalous affair'.

As I sat in class, I looked down at my notebook, the page was full, there was not so much as a corner to write a word in. I looked at the page, focused on it. I could feel it in my mind, I could feel the indents from the pencil that I made as I drew the sketch. I could feel the point of the paper's corner. My mind slipped under the page, as I would slip a finger over it, and lifted it as if it were the most natural thing in the world. I gasped, my eyes going wide as I watched the page turn. To say I was startled would be an understatement. I had done it, somehow, I made the page turn without touching it. I glanced around quickly to see if anyone else had seen. If they had, they were not looking and mine was the only gasp I heard, Aaron was looking at me strangely though.

He quickly wrote down something on my fresh page:

_Is everything alright?_

I nodded and tried to rein in my surprise. I rested the tip of my pencil on the new page. I applied a feather's weight of pressure on the length of its body, and it snapped in half like balsa wood. I looked down at in in shock. _It was only a pencil after all, perhaps I am reading too much into it. _I tried to reason with myself in a futile attempt to make sense out of what had just happened. I looked in my bag to find that I did not have another pencil with me. I looked over to Aaron and he handed me his, I smiled a thank you to him.

I sat for a few more moments as I watched Mr. Summerson's lecture, taking slow deep breaths while trying to remain calm. My phone made a loud sound and the teacher glanced at me with a raised eyebrow.

"Ms. Vandenberg?" He asked, singling me out so that everyone in class turned to me.

"Forgive me, Mr. Summerson; I completely forgot to turn it off," I apologized. "It will not happen again." He smiled kindly, his eyes wrinkling behind his glasses.

"See that it does not." He said in a kind tone.

I smiled and nodded. I reached into my book bag and picked up my phone carefully. As it began to slip from my grasp, I quickly tightened my grip on it and heard a _crunch_. My eyes widened and I swallowed hard, I could feel the cracks in the casing. I took my hand, still clutching the broken phone, out of my bag underneath the table and looked down at the remains of my phone, it was cracked and broken, indented from my fingers. My phone is one of those that are made to withstand tough use, it has lasted three years at a barn and two trips through the washing machine... _I__t should not have broken that easily_. I opened the screen to see that it was hanging by colored wires. My mind and my heart were racing in time with each other. _What is happening to me?_

It was all I could do not to jump out of my seat when Ariston appeared in front of me. I knew no one else could see him. Even under the circumstances, the sight of Ariston brought the memories of the passions we have shared to the surface and a blush to my cheeks.

"Are you alright?" Ariston asked. I nodded. "Excuse yourself and meet me in the hall." He said quickly, worry in his eyes. I nodded and, after dropping my broken phone back into my bag, I raised my hand.

"Yes, Ms. Vandenberg?" Mr. Summerson asked.

"I need to be excused." I said. I saw Ariston look at him, a look of concentration on his face.

"Of course." The teacher said, somewhat dazed.

I got up and glanced at Aaron, who wore a confused look on his face, and gave him an apologetic smile before I left the classroom. Once outside and the door shut, I leapt into Ariston's waiting arms and sighed in relief as he held me. Being in his arms brought me all the relief I so desperately needed.

"Thank god you are here." I said, he pulled back to look into my eyes while still holding me close in his arms.

"What happened? I felt your distress." He asked.

"Something is happening to me. I... I moved a page with a thought and broke my tough phone without trying. I even heard whispered conversations from all over the classrooms." I said to Ariston. I wondered at that moment about my sight. Everything has seemed more detailed and vibrant but I thought that was just an after effect of making love to Ariston.

"We should leave here." Ariston said.

I nodded and laid my head on Ariston's chest as he brought us somewhere. When Ariston resumed his form, the glowing golden light gone, I saw that we were in his living room.

"You did not warn me about this." I said to him.

"I did not know." Ariston said, seeming just as shocked as I was. "I do know who can help however."

Ariston's face took on a look of concentration for a moment, then he smiled. A golden light appeared a few feet to my left. It settled into the most beautiful woman I have ever seen, the lines of her features were the epitome of perfection. Her lips a perfect fullness, her bright sky blue eyes surrounded by long, feathery brown lashes. Her beautiful light tan skin held the same soft golden glow that Ariston and Kallisto's do. She was tall, a few inches more so than I am. Her long, brown curly hair fell in ringlets around her and shined with a golden hue even though there was no direct sunlight.

The goddess's floor length gown was stunning and fit her slim hourglass figure flawlessly, showing just a hint of her bosom where the neckline dipped. It was made of a fine fabric, the iridescent color of which was between gold and pink. Numerous gold medallions in the image of owls went around her slim waist and a round pendant of solid gold hung around her neck on a golden chain, it depicted a tree in great detail with words made up of the same symbols as those etched within the Rose Diamond. Somehow I knew the words meant "Honor, Family, Duty."

Upon her head sat a beautifully crafted gold tiara, even though the goddess did not need one to show her royalty. The way she held herself, with a great regality, grace and confidence said it all. She had a presence about her, one that commands respect.

The goddess smiled a warm, flawless, crooked grin to Ariston, flashing her perfect white teeth. Even as a woman I was amazed by her beauty.

"Sister." Ariston greeted her with a bow before rising. The goddess hugged Ariston.

"It is good to see you, brother." She said, placing a kiss upon his cheek as he placed one upon her own.

The goddess's voice was beyond stunning, if roses could make a sound to sing of their beauty, her voice would surpass it, and like Ariston's, it also seemed to hold thunder within it. She looked to me, her sky blue eyes warm and kind, yet powerful.

"Mera, this is my sister, the Crown Princess Ennina Athena Minerva. Goddess of defensive warfare, wisdom, knowledge and the arts, just to name a few. Daughter of King Zeus and Queen Hera, wife of the Crown Prince Cronus and mother to many extraordinary gods and goddesses."

I marveled at the moment. _I am standing before perhaps the greatest goddess who has ever lived._ I realized a moment later I should do something to show my respect, so I curtsied, it is the first time in my life that I have ever done that, not in jest. I rose and looked up at her, still in amazement.

"It is truly an honor to meet you princess. I am," I began to introduce myself when Ennina filled in the blanks.

"Mera Vandenberg, Descendant of the Twelve and Pandora, daughter of George and Anne Vandenberg and soul mate of my dear brother Ariston." Ennina said.

"You know who I am?" I asked. She laughed, the sound as beautiful as a summer's day.

"We all know who you are my dear, you have been watched over by the Twelve since you were conceived for your protection. You are of our own ichor after all, a drop of each of us is within you." She said with a smile. "It is a pleasure to finally meet you, Mera." She held out her hand.

I put my hand in hers, ready for some ancient gesture. To my surprise she simply shook my hand, a good, trustworthy handshake. After she released my hand she looked to Ariston.

"What can I help you with brother?" Ennina asked in her lyrical voice.

"Mera seems to have gained some abilities." He said.

"Do you know how this came to be?" She asked.

"I have a few ideas, but I am not entirely certain. They all began very recently." Ariston explained. Ennina laughed for a moment, looking between the two of us.

"Have you two made love?" She asked, I was surprised at her forwardness.

"Yes, the first time the night before last." Ariston answered as I blushed horribly.

"And the connection?" She asked.

"It was formed." He said.

"Well," Ennina said. "It would seem that this is simpler than I thought. Mera is sharing your gifts through the bond you now share." My jaw actually dropped, sharing in his abilities...?

"Is that common?" I asked. The princess glanced at me and chuckled, then looked back to her brother.

"Did you tell her nothing?" She asked. Ariston looked abashed, it was the first time I had witnessed such a look from him, Ennina smiled and looked to me.

"In his defense, there is a lot to tell." Ennina said. "It is common, but only amongst immortals. When immortals make love, their essences mix for a time but it does not usually last long. But when immortal soul mates make love for the first time, their souls bind together with an unbreakable bond, the connection they already share is strengthened greatly. Through that connection, soul mates can see into each other's minds and feel their lover's emotions and sensations, even when they are not making love. Because the gene is active within you, it seems that you now share Ariston's abilities along with his passions." She summarized. "What abilities have manifested?" She asked curiously. It was a moment before I could speak, she was patient however.

"My hearing is enhanced. My sight and strength are also greater, and I seem to be able to move things with my mind." I said. She nodded.

"It can sometimes take a while for such abilities to manifest, sometimes awhile longer than this for your soul and or body to prepare to hold such power. Do you have any other abilities?" Ennina asked. I shook my head.

"None that I know of," I stopped my sentence short.

It was in that moment that I realized that not only had Ennina spoken to me in Greek, and I understood her, but that my reply to her was in flawless Greek. Ennina smiled.

"I see you also have the skill of translation." Ennina said. "You will be able to understand, write and speak any language at will once you have mastered it."

"How does it," I stopped myself again. I was still speaking in Greek.

"That happens at first, you can get stuck in a language." Ennina told me. "Clear your mind and focus on the language you wish to speak." I glanced at Ariston. "Looking at him will not help to clear your mind." Ennina stated with a chuckle. I smiled, knowing she was right, and closed my eyes while taking a deep breath. _English_, I thought.

"And now?" I asked. I sighed in relief to hear myself speaking in English once again.

"Very good." Ennina praised then glanced at Ariston. "I have seen quite a few Demigods and the like get stuck in one language or another for hours before they are able to go back to their native tongue." She laughed and I looked to Ariston.

"When I was fourteen, Ennina took me to the Asgard and I came back speaking Nordic for a week." Ariston said. "It drove my mother crazy." We all began laughing.

"I wish I could stay and get to know you better, but my husband awaits." Ennina said, looking into my eyes. I realized then that she looked at me almost as if she were seeing a ghost, and I was left wondering exactly how much I look like Pandora, her long lost sister. "I hope to see you on Olympus soon Mera, we are all looking forward to your arrival."

"I cannot wait to meet everyone." I said to her. She smiled.

"Goodbye, brother." She kissed Ariston's cheek.

"Goodbye sister, say hello to Cronus for me." Ariston said with a smile. "And thank you for your help."

"Anytime. And I shall tell him." She replied. The princess smiled to me once more, a warm smile, and then disappeared in golden light. I looked to Ariston and smiled.

"I have to say, I was not expecting that." He said. I laughed.

"Nor I." I told him. "I cannot believe I just met Athena herself, Ennina I mean."

"She is extraordinary." He said, respect in his voice. I realized something then.

"I broke my phone." I said to him. He smiled and a moment later a brand new, white iPhone was in his hand. I smiled.

"All your contacts are switched over." He said. I took the phone in utter amazement and kissed him.

"Thank you, my love. Is the number the same?" I asked.

"It is." He replied. "And the casing is made of adamantine. Just you try to break it!" I laughed and I kissed him once again.

"Can you bring me back to school?" I asked of him. "I do not want to miss the rest of my classes."

"Are you sure you are up to it?" Ariston asked.

"I am," I answered. "This will take getting used to, but I am not going to let this interfere with my life." I loved the respect for me his eyes held at my words. "You should go and do your duties."

"I would much rather stay with you, I am not going to be able to focus." He said, his worry running through my soul.

"I will be fine my love, and if I need you I will call to you." I promised.

He nodded and kissed me before bringing me back to Blueridge Prep, to a janitors closet close by. I made my way discretely out into the throng of students, and found Aaron and Margret easily enough.

"There you are! Where did you run off to?" Margret asked.

I was going to say I was not feeling well, but I thought better of it. I do not need anymore rumors starting, and so I told another lie that would stop any false rumor about me being pregnant in its tracks.

"It is that time of the month." I said, not loudly, but loud enough for others around to hear.

"Hey, TMI." Aaron said, throwing up his hands. Margret and I laughed.

* * *

Ariston was waiting for me when my last class ended, he kissed me and then took my hand. Once again, all eyes were on us. I wondered how long this was going to last, _when are people going to stop being so shocked to see us together?_

"How was your day?" Ariston asked as we walked down the hall. I knew what he was asking.

"It went well, and yours?" I asked him.

"The same." He said. We walked out to his car, and he held my door open for me as always before climbing into the drivers seat.

"Do you wish to go back to your dorm, or would you like to spend the night again?" Ariston asked.

"Do you really need to ask?" I asked him with a smile, our eyes met and his smile grew.

"My house it is then." Ariston said as he started his car. "Did any other abilities show themselves?"

"None." I told him.

"How did you handle the ones you have?" He asked.

"Things were quite loud at first and I had to be careful with everything I touched, but I was used to it by the end of the school day." I informed him.

"I am glad to hear it." He said.

After a few moments of silence, Ariston turned the radio on. He held my hand during the car ride as he always does. It was so wonderfully peaceful to be in his presence, to gaze upon his beauteous form. When we arrived at his house and parked, we went inside and to his living room, where we relaxed on the red couch.

"What did you say to me, when you almost kissed me in the rain?" I asked him, he smiled as he caressed my cheek, then ran his thumb over my bottom lip, as he had that day.

"Έτσι απίστευτα όμορφη." Ariston softly, enticingly recited his words to me that day. I understood them to be, 'So incredibly beautiful'. "κόβει την ανάσα." He whispered the last part, my mind translating it into, 'To die for.' And in that moment I kissed him as I wished I had in that moment in the rain. We nearly had each other right then and there, but Ariston, for whatever reason, stopped himself.

"What would you like for dinner?" Ariston asked, I laughed.

"Something delicious." I replied and kissed him again.

"Would you like to go out to eat?" He asked in between kisses.

"I was hoping we could stay in tonight, I feel a bit weary after today." I told him, and those breathless words were enough to cause him to stop and move his body off of mine, coming to sit next to me before.

"It can be like that, exhausting, when abilities come into play at first, they can drain your body a bit." Ariston told me, caressing my cheek. "I will have some food prepared for us."

"Thank you. I will cook for you tomorrow night." I promised him, he smiled.

"I have an idea I want to talk to you about." Ariston stated.

"Go right ahead." I said, wondering what was on his mind, and if it was why he stopped, to ask me whatever this was, which was clearly important to him.

"We are still uncertain as to what abilities you share with me, and if mind reading comes into play, you are not going to want to be around mortals all the time. Believe me, there is a reason gods live on mountain tops." I chuckled and Ariston smiled before he continued. "I was wondering... would you consider living here with me?" He asked, I looked at him in surprise, thrilled at the idea. "I cannot bare the thought of waking without you in my arms. I want you here, with me, every day, and every night." My smile grew and I nodded.

"I would love to live with you. I am going to be here with you every night anyways, so why not make it official?" I said with a laugh. He leaned in and kissed me.

"Thank you." He said before he kissed me again.

I held him closer and moved so that I was sitting on top of him. I was feeling much more energetic suddenly. His hands were on my sides as we kissed passionately, he laid his back on the couch with me on top of him, his hands sliding under the skirt of my dress, when my phone rang.

"You have got to be kidding me." I whispered against his lips.

"Let it ring." He said, kissing me again as his hand began straying higher, and higher upon my thighs.

It took every ounce of will power within me to stop kissing him and sit upright. Still sitting on him, I reached over to get my brand new iPhone. Ariston leaned up and began kissing my neck, an all too distracting action, and it was all I could do to stop a moan from escaping my lips as I answered the call.

"Hello?" I said, trying to keep my voice normal. It was a good thing I did when I heard the voice on the other end of the line.

"Hello, Mera!" It was my mother.

Even though I knew Ariston could hear my mother's voice, it did not stop him as he began kissing my shoulder with no mercy, one hand leaving my thigh as it trailed up my back and began unzipping my dress. My hand slipped into his warm curls of its own accord to hold him to me as he masterfully kissed all the exposed skin he could manage, while slowly, torturously, pulling the zipper open. I bit my lip as his lips made their way back to my neck; my mother was talking, but I could not seem to make sense out of her words. I could not find the will to pull Ariston away from me, even though I knew that I could with the grip I had on his hair.

"Can you hold on a moment?" I asked my mother then, without waiting for her response, I covered the mic on the phone so she would not hear me as I spoke to Ariston. Before I could say a word he captured my lips with his and kissed me deeply, his hand going into the opening of my dress that was now open for him without the zipper in the way.

"Ariston, stop, my mother is on the phone." I said, my will all but gone. He half sighed and half groaned in frustration, and looked into my eyes. I almost hung up the phone right then but I thought better of it. "Later." I promised. He nodded and I climbed off his lap, my heart still pounding, my dress out of sorts as I pulled it back on my shoulders. "I am back." I said to my mother.

"How are you?" She asked. "You sound so happy." I smiled to Ariston, our eyes meeting.

"I am _wonderful_." I said, trying not to sound as breathless as I felt.

"I am glad to hear that. Your father and I were wondering if Aaron is coming with you for your birthday?" She asked.

"Aaron?" I asked, the name taking me by surprise.

"Yes, I wanted to know if I should make up the spare room, or if he is staying with his mom." My mother said. I remembered then that I have not spoken to her since I broke up with Aaron.

"No, he won't be coming, we broke up a few weeks ago." I told her. She gasped.

"Oh, sweetheart, I am so sorry. You should have called. What happened?" She asked.

"I just realized that he was not the one for me. It was more of a friendship between us than a relationship, so I made it official." I said, mentally reprimanding myself for not calling my parents sooner. It did not matter that I was not so little anymore, they were still my parents, they will always mean the world to me.

"Are you okay?" She asked in her kind voice.

"I am more then okay." I told her. I looked at Ariston and smiled. "Actually, there is someone new in my life."

"Really?" She asked, an air of mock gossip to her voice that made me chuckle. "What is he like?" _How can I put this beautiful god into words?_

"He is a god." I said to her, Ariston smirked. "He is beautiful, loving, compassionate and a true gentleman. He is everything I have ever wanted and more. And to top it off... HE LOVES HORSES!" I told her with an ecstatic smile, and such a giddy joy. "We are in love. He is the one, mom."

"What is his name?" She asked.

"Ariston Crete." I told her.

"Nice name. So when do we get to meet this _god_ of a man?" She asked.

"I was going to call you with the good news as soon as I got a chance." I told her. "Ariston is coming out with me to meet you both for my birthday."

"How exciting! I will have the spare room all set up." My mother told me. I was going to say that that would not be necessary, but I stopped myself in time to realize what a stupid thing that would have been to say. "And I am going to have your father pull out _all_ the stops on dinner."

"Ariston cooks too." I told her.

"Honey, everyone cooks, what matters is if he is a _good_ cook." She said, I laughed and Ariston joined in.

"He is the best." I told her, looking into Ariston's eyes.

"Do not let your father hear that." My mother whispered conspiratorially into the phone, and we both started laughing again as I remembered how much I miss her and my father. I looked at Ariston and suddenly the need to kiss him overpowered all else. I had to have him, in every way possible ASAP.

"Mom, I have to go." I said abrubtly.

"Okay, I will see you when you fly in." She said. "Oh, do you need us to buy you a ticket?"

"No, Ariston and I have that covered." I told her. "Give dad my love."

"I will, I love you." She said.

"I love you too, mom." The words raced out of my mouth. The moment I hung up the phone I kissed Ariston and we ended up making love right there on the couch, and then the floor, and then against the wall and so on, and so on...

* * *

Ariston walked me to my apartment the following day. We stood outside my door, smiling into each other's eyes.

"Are you sure you do not need me to help you pack?" Ariston asked. I shook my head.

"There is not much to pack." I told him.

"I will be waiting for you at our house when you are finished." He handed me the keys to his car, my heart fluttered at how he said 'our house'. "The address is already in the GPS." I smiled and nodded. He kissed me once, one long kiss that left me wanting more. _He is addictive. _"I love you." He said.

"I love you." I told him, then kissed him again.

I watched him walk away, before going into what is soon to be my _former_ apartment. I cannot even begin to describe my excitement that Ariston and I are going to be living together.

"Hey stranger." Margret said as she got up from the couch and hugged me.

"Hello, Margret." I said, then we let each other go. "I have some news." I announced.

"And?" She asked.

"I am moving in with Ariston." I announced, my smile growing.

"Really? You are ready for that?" Margret asked with a hesitant smile, I nodded as my smile grew.

"I know there is not one moment I want to spend without him," I told him. "Though I had not been thinking of it, he asked me yesterday... and it was almost like when you had told me I was falling in love with him, and I knew that he was it for me. I already knew I could not bare to be apart from him, and when Ariston asked me, it made everything I was feeling fall into place. Again." She gave me a warm smile.

"When will this be happening?" She asked.

"Today." I told her.

"Well, it seems I am going to have our apartment all to myself." She said.

"Well now you can turn my old room into another closet." I said and saw a twinkle in her eyes at the idea, I had to laugh. "And not to mention, you and Jack having this place all to yourselves..." She blushed and took me by the hand excitedly.

"Come on, I will help you pack." She said, causing me to laugh out loud once again.

We went into my room and I looked it over with nostalgia, even though I was more than ready to move on to this next chapter in my life. Margret and I went into my closet, as big as it is, it is only half the size Ariston's was _before_ he expanded it for me. I went and got my blue suitcases and unzipped them on the floor.

"So I take it you two cannot keep your hands off of each other?" Margret asked. I blushed as sensations and memories pervaded my thoughts, I found myself smiling as I tried to rid myself of them.

"Yes indeed." I answered. "After the first time, we found it even more difficult than before to stay away from each other for even the shortest amount of time. He is..." I bit my lip and laughed as my body flushed.

"So how was that? The first time?" She asked. I tried to find a way to describe it, only to find there was not one.

"There aren't words." I told her. "I never knew anything could feel like that... it was beautiful and passionate, sacred really. We connected on such an _unimaginable level_..." I shook my head with a smile, somehow blushing deeper. "Each time is more amazing than the last, and that is _truly_ saying something." I bit my lip.

"I am happy it was like that for you." Margret said with a sincere smile.

"Is it like that with Jack?" I asked. She smiled and nodded.

"Yes, it was everything I had hoped for and more. Every time is like that." She said, now she was absentminded. "I guess you and I have a lot more to talk about now..." I laughed and nodded, realizing by the look in her eyes that talking about these kinds of things had been something she was longing to do with me. Of course she knew I would not have been able to truly understand, not before I experienced it myself that is.

"How lucky are we? Both of us with our soul mates at seventeen." I shook my head and she laughed.

"Talk about rare!" She exclaimed, then glanced towards the clothing near us. "So what do you want to bring with you? You can bring any of my clothes you like." She said. I smiled.

"I am good on clothing. Ariston has bought quite a lot for me and says he is dying to take me out shopping for more." I shook my head and looked at her. "He is worse than you." I said, she laughed out loud.

"That is hard to accomplish!" I could only agree.

I looked through the clothing and found some of my old things. I folded them neatly and placed them in my suitcase. I would not be wearing them anymore, but I did not want to leave them here for Margret to have to deal with.

"Have you told your parents about Ariston?" Margret asked me as she took down one of my old tops off its hanger and and folded it.

"I did, last night." I told her. "My mother called at the worst time. Ariston and I were kissing and when I answered, he kept kissing my neck... and undressing me." I shook my head, my hand going to my neck where I knew the love bites would still be if Ariston had not healed them, as he does every morning.

"Jack does the same thing when I am on the phone, except for when it is my dad I am talking to. He is _scared to death_ of my father." Margret laughed and I joined in. "Have you told your parents how old Ariston is?" She asked. I chuckled, knowing she could not even begin to guess his real age, then shook my head.

"No, I have not. I told my mother that I love Ariston, and how wonderful he is. I have been worried about how he will be received." I admitted, feeling that again. "I know they will love him once they get to know him, I just hope they will give him the chance."

"Is Ariston nervous about meeting your parents?" Margret asked.

"He was the one who suggested it." I laughed. "In a few weeks he is going to take me to Greece to meet his father and family."

"Wow!" She said. "Well I suppose loving someone as much as that, all you can do is go full speed ahead. I am so happy for you." She said and meant it. I knew that she and Jack certainly had done the same, making up for lost time, and since she and Jack were such dear friends before they dated, she had jokingly said that those two and a half years of friendship were all the foreplay they needed. And their parents knew each other, and knew both of them, so it was basically them choosing to take steps they had waited years to do.

"Thank you, Margret." I smiled, and hugged her close, kissing her cheek.

It did not take long to get the rest of my things packed up, Margret helped me carry my twin suitcases out to Ariston's black Range Rover. Ariston has given me full use of his cars, he has about ten of them, each more expensive than the last. I was unsure about it at first, since I did not have a license yet, then he surprised me by handing me one. Ariston said that it did not matter to him if I had one or not since I know how to drive, but he gave me one anyway. He said that it is completely legal and that I am registered.

We shut the back door of the Range Rover and I turned and looked at Margret, already missing her. We have been the closest of friends since my first day at Blueridge Prep, I trust her more than almost anyone. I did not know where my life was going, but I knew that I was going to do everything I could to keep my beloved sister of a friend in my life.

"I do not know where I would be without you." I said in all honesty to Margret. We have been through so much together, she has always been there for me through thick and thin. We are as close as any sisters ever were.

"You would be just fine." Margret said to me. "You are one of the strongest people I have ever known. If _you_ cannot handle life, what hope is there for the rest of us?" Margret asked, I laughed. "I am going to miss you." Margret said. I hugged her and we held onto each other tight, I had to remember about my strength.

"Why does it feel like we are saying goodbye?" I asked her.

"You know what your mother says. 'For every end, there is a beginning.' Go and live your beginning with the man you love, just make sure to stop in every once in a while." Margret told me, meaning every word.

"I will, I promise." I said.

We held onto each other for a while longer before we let go, both wiping tears away from our eyes.

"You and Jack should come to visit Ariston and I sometime, we can cook you both dinner." I said.

"He cooks too?" She asked, I nodded. "Damn, you did get a good one." I laughed.

"I will see you around." I told her.

Margret smiled and nodded. I hugged her once more before getting into the car and driving away, she waved to me as I did and I waved back out the window.

Ariston met me at the door when I arrived at our house. He swept me into his arms and I laughed as he carried me through the threshold.

"Welcome home, my love." Ariston said, I smiled and kissed him.


	23. Chapter Twenty-one: Truth

**Author's Note: Well, we have reached the half way mark! It will take time, but I will start posting the rest of the book as soon as I can! Love you all, thank you for reading, reviewing, favoriting and following both my work and myself!**

* * *

**Chapter 21**

**Truth**

**"An ancient calling calls me forth towards my destiny, a calling I cannot ignore, one I cannot fight, for the need is too strong within me."**

**Jasmine Dubroff**

I came home early, Ariston has not returned from his duties yet. We have been living together for two glorious weeks, it has been wonderful, every moment of it. We have not been able to keep our hands off of each other, I cannot see an end to that any time soon, nor do I wish for one.

Ariston has taken me shopping a few times. I have never met a man who enjoys shopping, but Ariston was perfectly content to walk around with me and help me pick out clothing, and I must admit that I greatly enjoyed teasing him in the lingerie shops.

I placed his keys in the bowl by the door, then went into our bathroom and stripped down and bathed in the waterfall, lost in my own thoughts. Lately I have been having these dreams. In each one I am fighting, sometimes with a sword, sometimes with two, or a knife or with no weapons at all. I am always fighting to protect someone. Sometimes it is Nell and other times it is Margret, then there are times when it is a stranger that needs my help. I have found myself longing for that, to fight, to protect, to do my part in changing this world and saving it. In the end of the dream the same voice whispers _'This is who you are, Mera.'_ The need to explore the extent of what I am capable of is taking over. I cannot control it, and however wonderful my life may be, I cannot be content in doing nothing.

The dreams have made me think of how I helped Margret, I saved her life that night, and of how Jack looked at me after I saved the woman he loves. _How can I not want to do that again, to save others? What if I could find Nell and help her?_ I have decided that I am going to talk to Ariston about it tonight.

I got out and dried off with the cloud wool towels then went into our closet and put on a floor length, red, cloud silk nightgown trimmed in lace and went out to the living room. Ariston was sitting on the rug by a roaring fire, drinking a glass of wine, another glass of wine sat next to him. He looked me over and smiled up to me. I was once again struck by his beauty and by how much I truly love this god, yet the longing remained. I walked over to him with a smile on my lips and sat next to him, he handed me the other glass.

"Your brother's brew?" I asked as I took it from him.

"Of course." He replied. I placed a kiss on his lips, then smiled and took a sip of the chilled wine as the roaring fire warmed my skin.

"How was your day?" I asked him.

"It went well. I am happy to say that I stopped five crimes in three different countries, and spent some time with Kallisto." Ariston told me.

"How is she?" I asked.

"She is well. She said to tell you that she would love to take you shopping, if I can let you go for a day." He said. The look in his eyes said that was not likely to happen any time soon, I laughed.

"That would be nice, I would love to get to know her better." I told him, he smiled.

"How was your day?" Ariston asked.

"It was great," I told him. "I spent time with Aaron, Margret and Jack. Later I went to ride Vrontos, he was wonderful as always. We worked on some dressage."

"I am happy to hear that." Ariston said. I took a deep breath and ran my index finger around the rim of my glass of wine, my eyes on the rose colored liquid inside as I wondered how to broach the subject that was on my mind. "What is it my love?" Ariston asked, I looked into his inquisitive eyes.

"There is something I have been wanting to talk to you about." I told him. I took a sip of my wine before continuing. "Where do we go from here? I am a Descendant and when we wed I will become an immortal. I wonder what I will do with that."

"There is so much to do on Olympus. You could be a lady of leisure." Ariston told me with a smile. "There is so much to learn there, thousands of years of knowledge on every subject you can imagine, and some you cannot, will be at your fingertips. You can get to know the gods, they have such stories to tell. And of course we will get married and start a family of our own and give Kallisto some brothers and sisters." He said, I smiled at the thought of that, but the dream lingered in my mind, and I knew that as much as I love Ariston, and as much as I want that life with him, it would not be enough for me.

"Ariston, I want to be your wife and have a family with you... but that is not all I want." I told him, taking a deep breath before continuing. "Being a housewife is just not who I am. I want a life of my own. I want to help change this world, I always have but I never knew how I was going to do that. Then you show up, and I find out who you are, and who I am." I shook my head and smiled. "I want to fight against the evils that are plaguing this world, it is part of who I am. I want that responsibility, I want to protect those whom cannot protect themselves and help those who can." Ariston's face changed and I felt a deep, dark foreboding within him as he looked away from my eyes and back to the flames. He took another drink of his wine, and I realized that this was the same fear I felt from him weeks ago, when I told him about my dream of Elianna. "What is it?" I asked him, he was silent for a long while.

"You do not know what you are asking for... you do not understand. I do not want this life for you." He said softly.

"Why?" I asked him, he took a deep breath.

"People think they know the gods, but they have _no idea_ what it is to be a god. The things I have seen," Ariston shook his head, a feeling of torment within him from all he has experienced. "You have no idea the _horrors_ the mortals are capable of; it takes a toll on you, and strips so much away from you. I do not want this for you Mera, to see the things I have witnessed. Your purity and innocence are two of my favorite things about you, and once they are gone, they are gone. I will not let you join the army." He said, already knowing what I wanted to do. His face took on the same mask it did when he was fighting Aaron, I knew it was to hide his emotions out of instinct, momentarily forgetting that I could feel them.

"Ariston, this is my choice." I said.

"You do not understand." Ariston almost yelled, I flinched back from his tone, he has never once raised his voice to me. He sighed and looked away. His reaction made no sense to me.

"There is more to this, I can see that much in your eyes. What are you not telling, Ariston?" I asked him. He took a deep, shaky breath and looked at me with watery eyes.

"Since the Nameless One escaped Tartarus, _every_ Descendant of Pandora who has fought against the Shadows has not lived pass her twenty-fifth birthday." Ariston stated. "All we do to protect them always ends up being in vain. The Nameless One has each and every one of them hunted down. He will not risk a Descendant of Pandora locking the Shadows away again, they are his greatest strength, the only way to accomplish his goal, his vengeance against the gods for imprisoning him for twelve thousand years.

"There were five other Descendants of Pandora of your generation, three boys and two girls." Ariston continued a moment later. "They were trained, brought to Olympus and became part of the army. Each one was promising, and each one was younger than you when they were killed in cold-blooded ways that would haunt your dreams for millennia to come. You are our last hope for the battle that is soon to come, that is why I was sent to you. When I fell in love with you I knew I could not allow anything to happen to you, it would be the death of me to lose you. I will not allow you to risk yourself." He said with firmness. I was shocked by what I had just learned, but there was something I had to ask, a truth I had to know.

"I am what will tip the scales in the favor of good in the war, aren't I?" I already knew the answer, but I wanted to hear it from his lips.

"Yes, you are." Ariston answered reluctantly. "You are the last living Descendant of Pandora, except for your mother, but I think that we both know that she is not an Active. The light within you will be more powerful than anything against them, and with the box... Yet it does not change anything. You are still and always in danger from the Nameless One; he will end you if you fight against him."

I was quiet for a moment, _I was not expecting that... but it does not change anything, I will not let fear get in the way. It seems that I am the key to saving the Worlds, what kind of coward would I be if I were to say no?_ I felt a deep acceptance of this truth, I did not wish to change it because this is what I am meant to do, my destiny.

"Mera," Ariston begged, feeling what I was thinking.

"I understand, my love, but you cannot protect me forever." I told him. "Though most choose not to see it, the world is crumbling around us... how can I not do my part? What kind of person, woman or goddess, would I be if I just sat back when there is something I can do about it?" I asked him. "I want to help. You said that I will be powerful and that I am highly skilled. I have to put those skills to good use, I have to help these people."

"You cannot fight them. How can you not understand?" Ariston was trying not to yell again. I felt his frustration, his anguish. In a moment, he rose to his feet and put his fist through the marble fireplace with a loud crack. I looked at the hole in the marble in shock.

"Ariston." I said, rushing to my feet and taking his hand in mine. I examined it to find that there was not a single scrape on it, just marble dust. Even after living with a god for the past two weeks it still shocked me, since I expected a bloodied and broken fist.

"Once they find out who you are, what you are capable of, they are going to want you dead." He said. I looked up into Ariston's eyes, filled with anguish and begging me to understand the gravity of this. "If you are this powerful in a human body, just think how powerful you will be once you are an immortal. He will not risk that." Ariston said the last part in a whisper.

"If Pandora was immune to the Shadows, then perhaps I am as well." I said to him softly, holding his hand within mine. "If we could find the box then I could do what she did, I could put them away, then we could find a way to destroy the Shadows so they would not be able to do this again." Ariston turned away from me, his hand sliding out of my grasp.

"What do you think we have been doing for the past thirteen thousand years? We have been searching and searching. If we have ever gotten close to the box, it has been moved. Without that box we do not stand a chance against them, and neither do you." Ariston said. I walked over to him, standing behind him.

"You must allow me to do this." I told him. Ariston turned around and looked into my eyes, I could feel so many emotions within him; fear, love, hate, worry, anguish, anger, all at once. He placed his hand on my cheek.

"No." Ariston said firmly, in a voice that was final. "I have made the arrangements with my father. You will not be joining the army."

"You made an arrangement like that without even speaking to me first?" I asked, not believing that he would have done something like that. Ariston had told me that he had his father stop my training, but he never mentioned that he made it so that I would not be able to join the army.

"I had no choice. You can hate me, but I will keep you safe." Ariston said. "You will not be joining the army, and that is final." I was hurt by his words, I pulled away from his touch with tears in my eyes. _How could he speak to me like that?_

"You do not get to control me, to tell me how to live my life!" I yelled at him then shook my head. "I might have expected something like this from Aaron," I said with tears in my eyes. "But never from you." I was truly hurt.

Ariston recoiled as if he had been slapped; a part of me wanted to put my arms around him but the other part could not stand what he had done. It hurt even worse because I love him so deeply. I turned and quickly went down the hall and towards our bedroom while wiping the stupid tears from my cheeks.

"Mera," Ariston called after me but I did not stop.

"Go away!" I yelled at him.

I went into our bedroom and slammed the door, ran my fingers through my hair and took a deep, shaky breath. I climbed into our bed and laid down, facing away from the door, looking out at the starry sky with blurry eyes. A moment later, I felt Ariston behind me. He wrapped his arm around my waist and held me close to his body. I did not have it in me to pull away.

"I am sorry. Forgive me my love, please forgive me." Ariston begged as he kissed my cheek. I turned around in his arms and wrapped my arms around him, he held me close as I cried my tears. "I do not want to control you, I never have. I simply cannot bear the very thought of any harm coming to you; it is maddening, and I have seen first hand the pain the Shadows and their master can inflict. Just please consider what I said, that is all I ask." He begged, I nodded as I clutched onto him. "I love you and I cannot lose you, I will not be able to _live_ without you." He whispered and kissed my hair.

* * *

I did not sleep, I could not no matter how hard I tried. I laid on Ariston's chest and thought about what was said tonight, I was grateful for the comfort of his arms around me.

Somehow, I did not even have to give it a second thought. If giving my life means saving the Worlds and those I love... how could I not? But I have more to think of now than I have ever had before. I looked up at Ariston, carefully moving to hover over his face. I have never seen him sleep, he always falls asleep when I do and is awake hours before I am. He is so beautiful when he sleeps, so at peace.

I felt my throat constrict as tears welled in my eyes. _What would happen to Ariston if I were to die?_ Tears ran down my cheeks at the thought of putting him through such pain again, losing another woman he is completely in love with. _And my mother and father... children are supposed to bury their parents, not the other way around. For them to lose their only daughter..._ I sighed out a shaky breath as more tears came.

The last thing I want to do in this world is hurt them in any way._ But how can I do as Ariston asks and stay away from my duty, my destiny?_ I decided then and there what I would do. _I will join this fight. I will train relentlessly and become the best and wisest fighter there is, so that when the time comes, I will be ready to fight. And above all, I will be victorious._

I looked at Ariston again and one tear fell from my lashes to land upon his cheek. Ariston's eyes opened immediately; he looked at me with concern in his eyes as he lifted his hand to caress away my tears. I felt how it hurt him to see me cry, and not only because he could feel my emotions.

I looked into Ariston's eyes, glowing sky blue in the night, and could not stand it a moment longer. I kissed his lips and slid my hand down his granite-like chest. His hand tangled in my hair as he deepened the kiss and I took hold of him. I did not have to say what I wanted, he knew, he saw it through my mind and felt the need within me. He kissed me deeply, held me closer as he turned his body towards mine, my leg going around his hip, and with that we were intertwined...

I laid in his arms as the sun began to rise. I decided to talk to him, _he needs to understand._

"I love you, more than anything I love you." I said to him softly, looking into his eyes. "I love the life we lead, but there is this whole other part of me that is trying to claw her way free. It would be a lie to say I do not want to explore this. I need to know who I am, I need to understand what is inside of me." I told him, laying my hand upon his cheek. "I have to do this Ariston, I have to be part of this. It is my destiny, I can feel it. I swear to you that I will do everything I can to stay alive. I will train harder than anyone else and master every ability we share. I will not leave you alone if I have any say in it." I said. He smiled slightly and nodded.

"I understand. I suppose there is no way I can change your mind?" He asked. I shook my head and he sighed and smiled.

"I will not give up on this, I cannot bring myself to, and I know that you cannot live without me." I told him. "So there is only one option."

"And that is?" Ariston asked.

"To win." I stated simply and his smile grew.

"This has always been your decision, and it seems you have made it." Ariston said. "I had no right to do what I did. I love you, Mera, and I will stand by you in this and help you and protect you in every way that I can." Ariston told me. Tears of joy came to my eyes and my heart swelled, I felt that he meant every word he spoke with all his soul.

"Thank you so much, I love you... I love you so very much." I said then leaned in to kiss him.

"We did not do so badly for our first fight." Ariston said with a smile and I laughed and shook my head, laying my hand upon his cheek.

"I never want to fight with you again." I told him.

"I am sorry. It was my fault, I should not have tried to force you into what I want, and I should not have spoken to you in that way, no matter how worried I was. I will not do so again, no matter what. Can you forgive me?" Ariston asked, I could see in his eyes that he worried that I would not. I smiled.

"All too easily, my love." I told him and he smiled, relief filling him. "Of course I forgive you, my Ariston. I understand why you did what you did, I do not want to lose you any more than you want to lose me. This is my destiny as much as you are, and to choose between you and it would tear me apart."

"That is the last thing I want." Ariston said as he caressed my cheek. "Give me a week, just one week alone with you before you begin this. I will not go to Olympus and you not go to school. Lets just spend a whole week together."

"That sounds perfect." I smiled. He smiled, leaned in and kissed me.

"Oh how I love you, my Mera." Ariston mumbled against my lips before kissing me again as my smile grew...


	24. UPDATE!

**Author's Note**

**Hello my friends!**

**I do hope you can forgive my absence! Over a month ago I moved to Florida on a whim with the help of family and friends, and since then have been busy finding a job and getting situated. Due to this, I cannot say when I will be able to have time to write again, but hopefully soon! Thank you for your support; I want you all to know that I have far from given up writing. It is far too important to me, so there will be more written when time and availability decide to grace me with their presence!**

**Much love and gratitude,**

**Jasmine! **


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